Remarks

Good morning. It is my pleasure to welcome everyone to the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education for a hearing to hear from outside experts and the public.

This is our public witness day – an opportunity for members of the public to come before this panel and draw our attention to issues of importance to them.

I look forward to hearing from our public witnesses as we learn more regarding the challenges facing our constituents and communities across this country, and what this subcommittee can do to help them.

The Government Accountability Office, or GAO, said it best when they described the federal government as quote - “one of the world’s largest and most complex entities.” 

The subcommittee will come to order. Good morning, and welcome to this year’s Member Day hearing. Today, we welcome our colleagues to testify on their priorities for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Transportation for Fiscal Year 2026.

Member engagement is key to the appropriations process, and especially important for our bill, because every district has housing and transportation assets. 

The subject of today’s hearing is the Fiscal Year 2026 budget requests for the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Government Publishing Office (GPO), and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO).

I’d like to thank Ranking Member Espaillat, our Committee Members, Comptroller General Dodaro, Director Halpern and Director Swagel for being here today. 

I’d also like to thank each and every one of your staff for the work they do to help Congress and the entire government function in an effective and efficient manner.

I’d like to thank Ranking Member Espaillat and our subcommittee members for being here today. 

Chief Manger, welcome back. While we know you are looking forward to retirement, we appreciate your willingness to extend your time with us while we search for your successor. We look forward to your testimony today.

Today’s hearing is on the quality of life for our enlisted soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians, and their families. 

The five witnesses at the table represent the highest enlisted level of leadership for their respective branches. 

I am pleased that we are having this hearing again as we begin the Fiscal Year 2026 cycle. This group’s insight is critical. This hearing is a great opportunity to identify areas where we can be more helpful to our service members and their families. 

The subject of today’s hearing is the Fiscal Year 2026 budget request for the Architect of the Capitol and the Library of Congress.

I’d like to thank Ranking Member Espaillat, Committee Members, and our two main witnesses, the Architect of the Capitol, Mr. Thomas Austin, and the Librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden for being here today.