Remarks
This afternoon, we welcome the Administrator of the Transportation Security Administration, David Pekoske to testify on TSA's fiscal year 2024 budget request.
Administrator Pekoske, thank you for joining us today. I'd also like to take a moment to congratulate you on being confirmed for a second term as TSA Administrator. In today's political environment, it's quite an achievement to work for multiple Administrations. Thank you for your leadership and your service.
TSA's mission is vast and embedded in the principle that transportation security is national security.
Established in the immediate aftermath of September 11th, 2001, TSA works to combat dynamic threats across this nation's transportation systems and protect the traveling public.
Thank you, Director Easterly, for joining us today, and for your military service.
In 2018, Congress authorized CISA to protect the Nation's cyber and physical critical infrastructure. We invested heavily in this operational agency and its mission over the last three fiscal years, increasing the budget by 44 percent from $2 billion to $2.9 billion.
The President's latest request would put you over $3 billion. That's a fair amount of dollars.
Today, I would like us to drill down and quantify the return on that investment for the American people, as CISA's mission has never been more important.
Nation-state actors backed by China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, and others are targeting government and private sector networks to steal intellectual property, probe our defenses, disrupt operations, cause panic, and inflict financial consequences on the homeland.
The committee will come to order.
Madam Secretary, thank you for being here today. And thank you for our conversation last week in advance of this hearing. I look forward to our discussion on several important issues facing the Department of the Interior.
While I don't agree with all of your decisions or the Administration's policies, I am glad that we have been able to work together on many bipartisan issues, like working to meet our treaty and trust obligations with American Indians and Alaska Natives and implementation of the Great American Outdoors Act.
I am thrilled to return as Chairman of this subcommittee after serving on it over the last two decades. This subcommittee oversees funding for public land agencies like the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the Forest Service, and as chairman I have a unique opportunity to influence federal policies that directly impact Idaho.
The hearing will come to order.
Good afternoon and welcome back, for the second time today, to discuss the President's budget proposal for FY 2024.
Earlier this morning, Secretary Haaland with the Interior Department joined us and now we are pleased to welcome Administrator Regan from the Environmental Protection Agency. Thank you for being here today, Administrator Regan.
As you know, I previously served as Chairman of this subcommittee, and I'm very excited to be back in this role again.
In part because I am a lifelong conservationist from a Western state and recognize the importance of protecting and preserving our land and water resources.
The subcommittee will come to order.
Today, we welcome the Inspectors General (IG) from the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Good morning to our witnesses, the DOT IG Eric Soskin and the HUD IG Rae Oliver Davis. Thank you for appearing before us today, and for your service to the taxpaying public. I would also like to welcome my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to our first hearing of this budget season.
The Subcommittee on Defense will come to order.
Today, the Subcommittee will receive testimony on the posture of the United States Army.
First, I would like to welcome our two witnesses:
- Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth, and
- General James McConville, the Chief of Staff of the Army.
Thank you for joining us. We look forward to your testimony.
The rise of China as a military and economic power has raised concerns about the potential for conflict and the need for the Army to maintain a credible deterrence posture. China is improving their military capabilities and their efforts to maintain a technological edge, particularly in the areas of munitions, missiles, and other ground combat systems.
Good Morning, Mr. Secretary. It is my pleasure to welcome you to the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education for our very first budget hearing of the year, which happens to also be my first budget hearing as Chairman. We are looking forward to hearing your testimony.
Mr. Secretary, as I've been coming up to speed as the new Chairman, I've been learning more about the incredible breadth of programs under your jurisdiction. From overseeing research that we hope will cure diseases like cancer and Alzheimer's, providing childcare and early learning for our littlest Americans, training our next generation of medical professionals, and administering health insurance for our Nation's poor and aging populations, it is clear that your responsibilities are many.
The hearing will come to order.
It is my pleasure to welcome Secretary Jennifer Granholm to the Energy and Water Subcommittee this morning to discuss the fiscal year 2024 budget request for the Department of Energy.
Madam Secretary, you well know that I strongly support the primary missions of your Department. Specifically – DOE, through the National Nuclear Security Administration, supports our nation's defense through the maintenance of the nuclear weapons stockpile and through support of the nuclear Navy. DOE, through the Office of Science, remains the nation's largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences.
The committee will come to order.
Good morning and thank you to Chief Moore for joining us here on Capitol Hill to discuss the Forest Service's fiscal year 2024 budget request.
I am pleased to return as Chairman of the Interior Subcommittee to have the opportunity to address the critical issues and needs of the U.S. Forest Service. As a Western Member of Congress, fire is far too familiar to the communities in my home state of Idaho and across the West.
I genuinely enjoy the Forest Service employees in our region and value their important work.
They are consistently doing the best job they can with the funding and laws we enact from thousands of miles away in Washington, DC. It's safe to say Forest Service employees are not in it for the money; they join the Forest Service for their love of the outdoors and want to do their part to conserve and protect it.
Good morning.
The subcommittee will come to order.
This is the first hearing for the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the 118th Congress. I am honored to serve as Chairman of this important Subcommittee, once again.
We have a few new Members of the Subcommittee including, Rep. Tony Gonzales, Rep. Andrew Clyde, and Rep. Jake Ellzey on this side of the aisle, and Rep. Joe Morelle.
We welcome you and the returning Members, including Rep. Aderholt, Judge Carter – who is returning to the subcommittee after an absence of several years, Rep. Cline, and Rep. Garcia, as well as Rep. Meng, Rep. Ruppersberger, and Rep. Trone.
We are fortunate to have Rep. Cartwright serving as the Ranking Member. Mr. Cartwright chaired this Subcommittee for four years, and we will benefit from his input and experience as we move forward this year.
