During Tuesday’s House Appropriations Committee hearing, Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-CA) questioned Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy about wildfire relief funding.
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00:00Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Appreciate the opportunity. Welcome, Mr. Secretary. Thank you for being
00:06here, Mr. and Mrs. Lilly, as well. Mr. Secretary, as the chairman mentioned, chairman of the
00:12full committee and chairman of the subcommittee, safety is of primary concern to all of us.
00:18You see that in the questions that are being asked by both sides. I can't help but ask
00:23you to reflect. It's been reported that you've pushed back against some doge efforts with
00:31respect to staffing. I want to ensure you've said that safety is first. As the chairman
00:40mentioned, notification of Congress is also an important authority and a responsibility
00:47that you have. Implementing these grants, I agree it is a time-honored tradition to
00:52point the fingers at your predecessor. It's something we do quite often, you know, here
00:57up on this dais and in this dome. But the importance of doing all of those jobs, safety,
01:04notification, grant awards, is the responsibility of your department. And with fewer people, I
01:13hope you can continue to execute those important missions. In January, California experienced
01:21horrific wildfires and devastation was so huge. It was, it's tough to comprehend. Pictures don't
01:29do it justice. In February, the governor of California requested $101 million under the
01:35Department of Transportation's Emergency Relief Program to help rebuild federal highways, bridges
01:39and roads. Congress is waiting for the president to request of Congress to pass a disaster supplemental
01:46that includes funding for Southern California. It's been months since the wildfires occurred. We
01:53haven't seen anything from a formal request of Congress. Do you have any updates on a status of a request,
02:01Mr. Secretary? And have you seen some of the damage? Is it a tour that you are open to seeing with your own eyes in Southern California?
02:12Yeah, I'm absolutely open to a tour. My son lives in the area and actually had to evacuate with a new baby.
02:18I was well aware of it on a personal level, how devastating the fires were. I could get some additional information and circle back with you.
02:26I don't have it for you right now, though. Specific to the specific to that line item, though, you're confident in
02:34the DOT's ability to implement that that funding if Congress adds the additional the additional dollars for the emergency relief program.
02:43So I'm confident that I'm going to have the staffing levels to accomplish the mission of the department.
02:49And again, that's responsive to all of you. That's responsive to a president who wants me to to be able to support the bills in America.
02:57So, yes. Do you know how committed the administration is to executing disaster assistance without preconditions?
03:05We wouldn't put preconditions on tornadoes and floods, hurricanes.
03:11Why would we do it in this case? I haven't I haven't had that conversation with the administration.
03:15OK, thank you. Over the next couple of years, Southern California will also be host to the World Cup in 2026, Super Bowl in 2027,
03:23and the Olympics and Paralympic Games in 2028. You yourself have called these America's Games.
03:29L.A. Metro estimates that the region will need over three billion dollars in federal funding over the next three years
03:34to ensure public transportation network can support the athletes, the staff, the ticket holders and residents just for the Olympics alone.
03:43Last year, the Senate included 200 million in transportation funding for the Olympics.
03:49President Trump signed a CR. That funding was not included in the final funding package.
03:54Earlier this month, the California delegation and a couple of us here in the dais joined in sending a letter to the president
04:01asking for a budget request that included 500 million in dedicated infrastructure funding for the Olympics.
04:07Can you comment on the status of how you view the Olympics from a from a dollars and cents perspective?
04:14And will you commit to work with the California delegation as we as we work through FY26 and prepare for the 28 Olympics and these other events?
04:25They're going to be great. And so our department is working with the White House.
04:30They have a task force for the World Cup as well as for the Olympics and and transportation is a key part of moving people where we have these massive events.
04:40And so we are no doubt going to partner with California and your needs and with the administration.
04:45And again, you guys have the power of the purse.
04:49I would look forward to all of us thinking through what those needs are, because, again, this is our presentation to the world.
04:55The world is going to come for both the World Cup and the Olympics.
04:58And I know the president wants to have a great showing, a seamless showing.
05:03And, you know, I think we want to invite the world for even for this summer for the for the club games and and to have them come in.
05:10And by the way, spend a lot of their money would be wonderful, but they have to have a wonderful experience with it.
05:14So we're going to support the communities across the country with their transportation.
05:19And you would support a funding level of around that five.
05:22Oh, I don't know. I don't know.
05:23I haven't I haven't looked at the funding levels and what's appropriate from from the department's perspective.
05:27But I want to make sure we have enough resources to to make sure it's seamless.
05:31And I'd love to work with you if you have some ideas.
05:35I mean, I appreciate the comment that it's going to be great.
05:37But, you know, this body works with with funding formulas and tables and real dollars out on the street to to implement.
05:44All the all the happy talk. So of course, we have a skinny budget.
05:48We're talking about today. So, you know, I'm happy to talk to you about it.
05:50But that was not on on the calendar for today.
05:52And so if you want to look at the numbers, I'll look at them and we can partner up together.
05:56Yeah. Happy to work with you. Thank you, Secretary. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
05:58You bet.