Remarks

Good morning. I want to thank all of you for coming to today’s hearing to receive testimony from our colleagues. I look forward to hearing more about the projects, programs and issues in the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs Appropriations bill that are important to your district and to communities across the country. 

Your input is critical as we work to fund the agencies under this Subcommittee’s jurisdiction.  I look forward to working with Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz and our Subcommittee colleagues to accommodate these priorities as best we can as the Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process moves forward. Thank you again for taking time to speak with us today and bring these important issues in your community to our attention. 

Ms. Wasserman Schultz, I yield to you for any opening remarks you’d like to make.

Thank you, Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz, and thank you, Secretary Collins, for being with us today.

We owe our freedoms to our veteran heroes, and that includes the over 285,000 veterans who make Oklahoma their home. The mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs remains to fulfill America’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors. No one in this room will contest how critically important that is. However, in meeting that duty, I think we can also all agree there are areas where VA is falling short and services can be improved. 

The status quo is not cutting it, and I wish to recognize your initiative to address this. 

Thank you, Chairman Simpson and Ranking Member Pingree. 

Administrator Zeldin, welcome back to the House. It is great to have you testify before this subcommittee on the Environmental Protection Agency’s goals for the upcoming fiscal year. 

As you well know, I am proud to represent the Kerr Environmental Research Center in Ada, Oklahoma. 

For over 50 years, the Kerr Lab – which leads the U.S. in research and advancements on groundwater, aquifer recharge, and agriculture soil health – has established itself to be a premier EPA research center.

Kerr’s record of scientific achievements proves that the lab is well positioned to take on additional research opportunities to address growing environmental challenges and statutory mandates from Congress.

The Committee will come to order. This morning I’d like to welcome the 17th Administrator of the EPA, Lee Zeldin. Administrator Zeldin, welcome back to the House. I’m sure it feels different to sit on the other side of the witness table. 

We are here to discuss the FY 2026 budget for the Environmental Protection Agency.  

The EPA has ballooned in size over the last several years because the agency received $100 billion in supplemental funding outside of the annual appropriations process. That’s more than 10 times the annual funding of the entire Agency. 

And we are now starting to learn from your work, Administrator Zeldin, that there are serious questions about where some of this funding has gone.