liberty and justice for all. without objection, the house stands adjourned until noon on monday, may 6, 2024, for morning hour debate, and 2:00 p.m. for legislative business. our code that wrapsp brief session in the house. no votes were seded so that members could attend the funeral of thomas paine junior at the cathedral basilica of the sacre heart. congressman payne died april 24. he had been hospitalized vel weeks following a heart attack. he was 65 years old. lawmakers returned to the hse monday. next week, georgia congresswoman marjorie taylo greene is expected to call off her resolution to remove house speaker mice -- mike johns.

we stay on capitol hill for live testimony from transportation secretary pete buttigieg, the hearing just about to get underway. >> in february i had the chance to welcome you, secretary, to hawaii, where we visited lahaina on maui to get an update on recovery after the fires. what is clear then as now is those survivors need help. a whole town was flattened, thousands of people left without homes overnight, and nine months later their lives are still in limbo. i know you know this, mr. secretary, and i want to appreciate your attendance, your presence on maui, but also your ability to listen to the needs of the survivors. i will make it very simple. the survivors need transitional housing.

other communities are dealing with disasters of their own. baltimore is recovering from the tragic collapse of the francis scott key bridge, and as i reiterated to the maryland congressional delegation this week, we are going to get baltimore whatever it needs to rebuild. this past weekend, a freight train derailment forest resident evacuations and highway closure. we are still waiting to find out more about what caused the accident but are thankful nobody was hurt. it is an reminder of how important the investments we make in transportation safety are. in response to the derailment, this committee worked on a bipartisan basis to improve rail safety by researching in -- by investing in research and technology. more needs to be done to hold the industry accountable and the administration is requesting $26 million to do that. the committee is focused on addressing the shortage of air

traffic controllers to maintain safety and reliability for flyers. the faa's request for 2000 new air traffic controllers is urgent and necessary. the committee also provided significant increases in staffing and certification, which has helped the office of aviation safety to add more than 600 new staff to improve the scrutiny of aircraft manufacturers, including, maybe especially, boeing. an additional $30 million is being requested for 26 positions , enhanced workforce training, data management, and improvement to safety reporting systems. on road safety, i am glad nitsa has mandated automatic emergency brakes, which will save many lives. more needs to be done. 40,000 lives are lost every year because of roadway accidents and a growing share are pedestrian and bike deaths. no one should feel in danger

trying to get around in their community. we need real accountability to better understand why the departments investments and regulations are not yet producing safer outcomes. finally, we have to look at equity for rural and tribal communities. this budget proposal two of them in a cost chair for rural and tribal transit programs is a step in the right direction but we need to continue to expand access for these committees. equity also means looking at who pays for and benefits from our transportation networks. i would like to hear how the administration's proposal to increase taxes on certain business jets and the extent to which these jets are currently being subsidized by current aviation users. the budget request reflects urgent transportation priorities and these investments will benefit millions for generations to come. i will turn it over to my friend

and the vice chair, senator highsmith. sen. hyde-smith: i appreciate that introduction and the working relationship we have. i just want to talk a little bit about where we are and how long it took to get the fy 20 24 appropriations package through congress. i will note in the senate, we passed the appropriations bill last november with strong bipartisan support, with the help of senator collins and senator murray. and senator kennedy, no doubt. but without the leadership and vision of vice chairman collins and chairwoman murray, we may well have been saving crs through the end of the fiscal year, which benefits no one and eliminates congress's ability to

carry out its most fundamental duties. thank you for being here to testify on the budget request for the department of transportation, which has such a direct impact on so many people in every state. when you appeared before the subcommittee last year, the department was continuing with serious safety challenges, such as the failure of the faa mission system and the devastating derailment in ohio. today the department is grappling with two new emergencies involving boeing and the collapse of baltimore's francis scott key bridge. i look forward to hearing how the department is confronting these obstacles and prioritizing the safety of the traveling public. as congress contemplates how to address emergency funding needs resulting from the bridge collapsed and other disasters, appropriators must not lose

sight of our responsibility to provide adequate annual funding for critical programs. the administration's fy 2025 request for the department of transportation totals 108 point $9 billion, which represents roughly $2.6 billion increase above the fy 2024 enacted levels. i am disappointed to see even with the proposed increase in overall funding, the request woefully under funds or in some cases eliminates entirely programs that are priorities for this subcommittee. last year the president's budget request includes $510 million for the popular consolidated rail infrastructure and safety improvements grant program. this year the funding request has been slashed by more than half to just $250 million. additionally, the pandemic

underscored the importance of a robust, resilient, and reliable american port system, so it's difficult to understand why the administration's fy 2025 funding request for the vital port infrastructure development program is shockingly 66% less then the fy 2024 request, reduced from $230 million to just $80 million. while the administration may cite the infrastructure investment jobs act funding for these programs as a counter to my concerns, we must recognize that the funding provided in that legislation is not perpetual, not finite and not perpetual. backfilling annual appropriations with the infrastructure investment jobs act funding is not sustainable and the administration has not laid out a transition plan for

funding critical programs in a post infrastructure investment job environment. the infrastructure investment jobs act offramp strategy is necessary to formulate funding that strikes a balance to meet the needs of all americans, especially those in rural communities, which face unique transportation challenges. without such a strategy, under resourced rural areas like those across mississippi would be put at risk. this subcommittee is commitment to addressing rule needs is epitomized by the two hunted $50 million rural bridge bundling program that was established in the fy 2024 built directing resources to sparsely populated areas for much-needed bridge repair and rehabilitation. rural communities often benefit

from the raise grant program so i wanted to flag some of my concerns with how the administration is proposing to fund and administer these grants. i appreciate the administration seeks to provide 800 million dollars for the national infrastructure investments, which encompasses raise and mega grants, but i am troubled by the plan to combine these two distinct programs without clearly explaining how much funding will be allocated under each. i am also concerned about the proposal to use the fifa funds to cover the $800 million cost of it i was pleased to see the budget request includes additional funding for the faa to hire more air traffic controllers to manage the increased traffic in our national airspace system and bring on more critical safety

staff to help address the faa's ongoing aircraft certification reform and oversight efforts. i also support the administration's intentions to continue fully funding the essential air service program. the essential air service program connects rural communities to broader transportation network and benefits more modest airports, like those found in greenville, tupelo, by ensuring safe travel for customers traveling to and from smaller markets. businesses rarely locate in areas without dependable air services, so supporting rural airports is vital for future economic development. i believe our funding decision should be informed by fiscal responsibility and made with the american taxpayer in mind. mr. secretary, i look forward to

hearing from you and working together to ensure we have the safest, most reliable transportation network in the entire world. chair schatz: mr. secretary, please proceed with your testimony. sec. buttigieg: there we go. chair schatz, ranking member highsmith, vice chair collins, and members of the subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to discuss president biden's fiscal year 2025 budget request for the department of transportation. thank you for your partnership as we have delivered safer, stronger transportation across the country. roadway fatalities trending downwards, shipping costs down, supply change running more smoothly, and airplane cancellations last year were the lowest in a decade. although we have more to do, we are rebuilding not just from the pandemic but from decades of disinvestment and an environment that privileged corporations

instead of protecting people. the budget request of 140 $6.2 billion builds on the progress we have made and enables us to deliver on the challenges and opportunities that remain. our primary mission across every mode of transportation, safety. our roads, we have funded projects in every state to promote safety. we have had seven consecutive quarters of declining deaths on roadways. but this is still a national crisis taking over 40,000 lives every year and we are requesting $72 billion to improve roads and bridges with an emphasis on safety and efficiency. we are constantly reminded of

the importance of transportation safety. the country watched as a cargo ship destroyed the francis scott key bridge, taking six lives and closing a port. we are working with state, local, and private partners to reopen the port as quickly as possible. we also got to work with the

state on rebuilding the bridge. aviation, america was alarmed when a door blew out on an alaska airlines flight. the faa swiftly grounded 737 max 9 aircraft until each plane was safe to return to the air. the faa is increasing oversight of boeing. the agency is investing in the infrastructure, staffing, and technology of airports. we are requesting $26.8 billion to the faa, which will accelerate the modernization of the system, increase the target to hire 2000 air traffic controllers, and continue improving airports. we are modernizing infrastructure and improving service. this will allow us to increase the number of safety inspectors to 400 and add new staff. we established what most americans assumed was already the case, a minimum of two crewmembers on large freight trains. we are taking every step that does not require congress but also continuing to call on congress to pass the bipartisan railway safety act, which would provide authority to keep passengers, workers, and communities safe. we are preparing what existed and organizing for the future. last week i was in las vegas for the groundbreaking of a new rail line to california, the first true high-speed rail in the united states. it was a great day for the millions who will ride this train every year, for truck drivers and supply chain's who will benefit, for everyone who will live in a climate with 800

million fewer pounds of carbon pollution annually. more than those benefits, it's a celebration that america can still build massive engineering marvels with the potential for more. this project is creating 1000 good union jobs for the men and women who will operate the train line, plus another 10,000 good union construction jobs to build it. wherever i go, i meet workers benefiting from these jobs and i think often of workers like the young veteran i met who reminded me of people i got to know when i was in uniform who go on to face the challenges of civilian life. he talked about what it was like coming off active duty as a marine and said, i came across this union. the of training i got for the purpose i have prevented me from coming -- becoming a statistic. he is now the first person in his family to own a house. we know what it means to have these kinds of jobs.

these benefits are multiplied across thousands of projects improving transportation across the country and the millions of jobs they support. helping build stronger supply chains, cleaner air, and deliver safer, more affordable ways for every american to get where they want to go. we have made progress and we look forward to working with this committee to continue delivering for every community in this country. thank you for the opportunity to be here. chair schatz: i will start with tribal transportation. we have significantly increased funding for tribal transportation. currently there are 157,000 miles of road listed on the national tribal facility inventory. 60% are unpaved. 62% of 150,000 miles of roads are unpaved. how successful have tribes been in accessing d.o.t.'s grant awards in comparison to state

department of transportation? if the answer is not as successful as they ought to be, what are we doing about it? sec. buttigieg: likewise i have found it extraordinary how much tribes are asked to do with how little in terms of the resources available to them. we have sought to make sure there is equitable and supported access to our competitive grant programs. i have been pleased to note many of our recent award announcements have included successful applications by tribal applicants, most recently a protect grant in south dakota that was among the largest in that round. we also recognized that often tribal governments don't have the same resources that many well-off cities or states or other communities might, which is why we have dedicated tribal infrastructure at the d.o.t. fda's tribal transit program

includes $46 million in competitive funding over five years, which we are interesting -- we are requesting them to increased of 80% -- we got 80% over the previous authorization. we also have an office of tribal affairs helping facilitate our relationships in indian country. candidly there is a long way to go to make sure indian country and tribal applicants are getting the transportation support they need and we will continue working with the mechanisms we have at the d.o.t. as well as engaging other players to make sure we are working together. chair schatz: it is hard to apply and i think that's something maybe the department can do something about. if you are the kind of tribe that has just a few hundred members but lots of land miles, you are likely not in a position to assemble a team to do the kind of application that the

state department of transportation would be able to do. let's talk about air traffic controllers staffing. there is a balance you have to strike because they are tired. air traffic controller fatigue is not just a morale question, it's a safety question. senator shaheen has been a leader on this. some of the recommendations are to give folks more rest, and yet we are short air traffic controllers. once the problem in hiring? i don't mean this as a backhanded compliment, but you think like a consultant so i know you have thought about this aspect of the problem and i'm wondering if you can tell us about the process of change here. sec. buttigieg: the bottom line is we need more controllers and are enacting -- acting to make that a reality. fiscal year 2025 would be 2000

new controllers, up from 1500 last year. that puts us ahead of attrition but not by much which is why we are trying to accelerate that and get the resources to continue the controller hiring and training surge. we are also working to make sure we expand the pipeline. this is part of why the faa is working with colleges and universities. to supplement the cape abilities we have with our academy. the bottom line is we have to and will maintain a high standard for what it takes to become a controller, but we are also seeing more people move through the system and meet that high standard and are requesting resources to continue that. chair schatz: we have 43 more seconds, i would likenitsa protections into the five-star rating system. 42 seconds. sec. buttigieg: i would observe

that we need to begin paying attention to the effect of vehicles designed not just for those who are in it, but those who are around it. especially knowing the rise in roadway debts we have experienced over recent years has been driven by pedestrian fatalities. this is now being included in the wake nhtsa looks at new vehicles, alongside new measures we think will help. chair schatz: senator hyde-smith. sen. hyde-smith: mr. secretary, i am very passionate about the workforce in aviation. i represent a very rural state. so does senator collins. there are so many young people that don't have the exposure to aviation. i tell the story of jesse billy, my friend that lived in a neighborhood that was close to the airport, very limited

opportunities, but he could ride his bicycle to the chain-link fence to watch airplanes land at the general aviation airport. he became a pilot, he owned a flight instructing school, and became successful, but only because he could ride his bicycle to that fence. i know that kids all across mississippi and america could drive with careers in aviation, including mechanics, flight attendants, and air traffic controllers if they were given the opportunity. i do have this passion to reach out to students at a young age from elementary school to high school so they can learn about the potential that a career in aviation has to change their lives. the faa has established grant programs to invest in the future aviation workforce by providing grants to academic institutions and the aviation community.

while i appreciate these investments are being made, what more can aviation do to get more children involved in aviation careers? i do have a dream of developing a program that can bring kids out to smaller airports. but what can faa do to get more younger people to strike that cord in them they might not know is there? sec. buttigieg: that question is close to my own heart. the imagery reminds me of my father taking me as a kid to look through the chain-link fence at south bend airport the day air force 1 came to bring president reagan to the university of notre dame. seeing that jet was one of the reasons i wound it up with posters in my bedroom only to end up working in aviation in a different way i might have imagined. we know sparking that creativity can last a lifetime and the

country needs to engage more talent that's out there. we do have programming we believe is meaningful. one is the science, technology, engineering, and math aviation and space education program. it goes by stem. knowing of your interest in this issue, i learned the faa has held 11 events so far in mississippi just this fiscal year through that program. but would welcome more ways in partnership with you and the committee to make sure we reach more people who have the aptitude and may already have the passion but not the exposure or knowledge that they could thrive in these careers. sec. buttigieg: i know much of that is on us as states, but i want to let you know we will need help from the faa and take a lot of folks in the aviation world to make this a reality. as i continue to work on the program, i would love to have u.s. dot and the faa involved to

amplify the american government's role in aviation and opportunities for more young people. i appreciate your willingness to work with me on that. talking about other things in mississippi, mr. secretary, the extreme drought conditions that mississippians experienced in the summer and fall of 2023 left behind almost 13 million dead trees across the state. the drought severely distressed the trees, especially the softwood, and lead to major outbreaks of southern pine beetles that are wreaking havoc on our timber harvesting communities and landowners. many of these trees stand along right of ways maintained by the state department of transportation. you see them everywhere. it is something like i have never seen. but dying trees throughout the pine belt region and the entire

state have fallen on roadways, posing safety hazards and forcing mississippi dot to expand limited highway maintenance resources on the cleanup. we have the obvious risk of the traveling public, that i understand these activities may not be a great fit under the federal highway administration emergency relief program, in part because they are largely preventative. still the fact remains this is an emergency and mississippi arg u.s. d.o.t. programs and mississippi d.o.t. can i get your commitment to support tease critical safety efforts? sec. buttigieg: i'm committed to work to fine eligibility and programs where this may apply including discretionary grants. i will ask my team to toll up.

sen. hyde-smith: i truly appreciate that. chair schatz: senator coons. sen. coons: thank you. thank you very much for your leadership of the department in this differ and important time. you have led admirably investments in our critical transportation infrastructure over every mode of transportation and in my view we have to continue bipartisan work to fund d.o.t. programs. i think it was a accomplishment there subcommittee and full committee got strong bipartisan for d-hud out of the senate after a long and differ process avoiding a continuing resolution in this other to promote safety and jobs and quality of life is something that is valuable to all of us and i look forward to working with the chair and ranking. in delaware since the last time you testified we have gotten a $50 million in the port of which

will ping today and support positive path because we the tragic accident with the francis scott key bridge happened we saw a doubling of ship traffic to wilmington. we are halfway through building a safety defensive perimeter arson the delaware memorial bridge which began more than a year ago through a build grant, $234 million to $90 mechanical project but this is a very old bridge and there's a huge amount of ship traffic that gasp to philadelphia and they are halfway through build piers that would prevent a similar accident. so thank you for your forward looking investment. we received modest grants for expansion at the wilmington airport one of america's small ing tkphrergs airports but

strengthen willing commercial service something we didn't and $15 million for climate resilient bridge in an area that floods out repeatedly and has many teams in my life time. two quick things. amtrak funding is important to many of us without it i wouldn't be able to commute home. 40% of rider ship is in the northeast corridor. this year we should get back to pre-pandemic levels or exceed and an investment was made in trying to get the state of good repair moving in a positive way and congress needs to keep the promises made with that bipartisan bill. the president's request increases funding by $100 million. i intend to send a letter endorsing amtrak's bug request of $1.2 billion and the president's is $1.6 billion and amtrak's in the northeast

corridor because of the critical role of ongoing investment. i will commend to you the critical role that the partnership with states in terms of sustaining the northeast corridor makes. i would be interested in your response to what you see as the needed level of investments to keep amtrak expanding nationally. i think it is wonderful the bright line is going to connect las vegas and los angeles and i agree these are great jobs but we need to continue to invest in the backbone of amtrak. sec. buttigieg: thank you and i completely agree it is so important to support amtrak's praises on the northeast corridor the most heavily used panic rail corridor in the united states and investment we are proposing reflects both the return to ridership and interest in amtrak and need and fact that costs have grown.

in addition, overall including the northeast corridor you mentioned $2.5 billion in the president's budget in addition to that and we are still in the middle or even early part of the journey of making up for the disinvestment we have inherited when it comes to amtrak's capital needs. i'm encouraged to see ridership return. the last figures i saw returning fiscal 2023 tole 7% appear 97%, pre-covid was 87%, so ridership is back and we have to prepare for the future. sen. coons: thank you for visiting the amtrak manchester shopbs. they have employed many people in delaware.

i'm interested in the mechanical apprentice program and anything i can do to help you in sustaining the skilled workforce without which we can't have the passenger ralph the future. i commend you for launching that and look forward to working with you on that. chair schatz: senator collins. sen. collins: thank you very much mr. chairman and vice chair hide-smith. welcome secretary buttigieg. i want to talk about the collapse of the francis scott key bridge. because it brought to life some serious potential vulnerabilities of other bridges that were built prior to the regulations requiring the use of barriers to protect pillars. it is my understanding that as far back as the 1970's the national transportation safety

board recommended studying existing bridges had inadequate structural pier protection. so, we clearly need to have a better understanding of how many other bridges there are out there that could be subjected to the same sort of catastrophic collapse. what has your department been doing to identify these bridges in the late of the baltimore bridge collapse and do you have a comprehensive list? sec. buttigieg: thank you. we are very focused on this. as you know there's attention to this for decades particularly after a similarly catastrophic bridge in franklin 80 in florida which gave rise to the ashto

standards which federal regulations pay attention to. they required new bridge construction projects consider the need of design of pier protection. i want to preface anything by acknowledging the ntsb celebrates independently from us and for independently assessing the causes of this incident. it is too soon to know whether any bridge design currently known could have withstand a direct impact of the 248 million pounds that went into that pier. but bridges have increasingly been designed with dolphin fenders or islands around their supports to mitigate the impact of a potential collision. even as ntsb continues their work we will be able to continue our dialogue with ashto on the standard and while there's not

an uninventory i think we need to assess where the most critical points are where we would prioritize investment in resilience of the legacy infrastructure we have. were as we have invested in seismic resilience of some bridges through the investment protect programs. sen. collins: i want to thank the department for working closely with the maritime chad by to -- academy to preach a funding agreement for their pier infrastructure improvements. the maritime recently received bids that were far higher tan anticipated. that is not been common inity kind of construction project as

we see the impact of escalating cost of materials, specialized labor and other unnation narrow pressures. we continue to provide sufficient funding to satisfy the federal consist share requirements. but i'm asking for your commitment to continue working with the maine maritime academy and my staff it ensure that the shore side infrastructure improvement can accommodate the new training vessels for which the committee has appropriated funds and that will very shortly -- they are under construction now and will shortly start rolling out. sec. buttigieg: we are excited about the new vessels. we understand they have their own infrastructure needs and we have our commitment to work with your office and the academy.

sen. collins: finally as a general comment i want to express my concern about the budget cutting funding for parameters that receiver funding from the landmark infrastructure bill. when we wrote that law we made very clear that it was to be supplemental and it was not to be used to substitute for the funding for these programs in the president's budget. but it seems like for the second year in a row that is exactly what is hang. and it -- is happening. this is finite funding and it will end. it was intended to help our country catch up on a lot of delayed maintenance and to improve the infrastructure to expand broad band, lots of

purposes. it was not intended to be a substitute for the regular fund. thank you, mr. chairman. >> chair schatz: senator durbin. sen. durban: a while over 30 years ago i introduced a pill that banned smoking on airplanes. i was sensitive to the environment in the airplanes, safety of it, public health and the like and thought the flying experience would be improved if speaking was removed and it was. i would like to address another issue about the quality of experience in the airplanes today. after you are in your seat and have your belt fastened and you are under way there's an number that comes around in most airplanes not just critical safety issues but incredible credit card and frequent flier opportunities. it is almost like the farmland

force feeding a goose the information is jammed on you and flight attendants pass out applications for branded credit cards and stand at the door. it is a heavy sell, a hard sell. you ask yourself why are are they spending this time doing it. i think you know answer because page airlines make more moan off their branded credit cards in your pocket than their aviation operations. it turns out they are credit card companies that own a few airplanes. so the question is, who polices the ranks with these frequent fly programs? there's a lot of expectation and investment by millions of americans. i know you initiated through the administration an interest in this field. can you tell us more? sec. buttigieg: yes. wail we are not a banking

regulate for we are an airline regulator and as toes business lanes get blurred we are recognizing our responsibility to protect packages may come into play. we share your concerns about the right of passengers who count on these or are told about these rewards programs. d.o.t. has launched a review of u.s. article reward programs it determine if there are any unfair and deaccept active practices and will tack enforcement action including analyzing consumer complaints and meeting with always who are considering soliciting further information. another thing i would mention having noted the boundaries of our lane we are coordinating with cfpb recognizing a mutual concern. away plan it convenient a short hearing on may 9 with industry represents, labor leaders and consumer advocates to talk about competition issues an challenges

consumers are experiencing with some airline and credit card reward programs. sen. durbin: i have an understanding that you have a jurisdiction but there is so important to so many families across america the we have troubling reports that airlines are devaluing points making it harder for consumers to achieve promised rewards. at certain times the cost of purchasing pounds may be three times the points at redemption. there's no policing the ranks of these airline credit card companies with there benefit. i have a minute and a half and i would be remiss if i didn't mention location, location, location. i'm glad you led off the statement on rail service with chicago, illinois. being understand my interest in that. i hope we can find a way to make an investment that will dramatically change performance of railroads across the united

states dependent on efficiency and chicago. we have had some horror stories and we want them behind us. what is your thinking on that? sec. buttigieg: we believe that there is enormous opportunity for investment to continue to yield improvements and we know how important that is to your region. we welcome further discretionary grant applications that would be helpful and i know or personnel have been ungauging with teams from the region to discuss this. sen. durbin:thank you. chair schatz: senator kennedy. sen. kennedy: mr. secretary, i help you will here the -- hear the pleadings from our chair to help the people of maui. we have been through that in louisiana. frankly i'm disappointed that

the administration hasn't done more. i'm in the laying that at your feet but the people in maui right now need more than anything else hope. and without a place it live there's in hope. how are you are babies doing? sec. buttigieg: they have figured out how to get out of their beds which planes at the control when we get up but terror healthy and happy. sen. kennedy. . they will be teenagers before you know it. you will think that aliens have come down and abducted your beautiful kids and replaced them with terrorists but he will get through it. i want to ask -- i know you sound like a broken record -- the national center of

excellence for liquefied national gas safety a subject i know you are familiar with. we are trying to get this bill -- it is frustrating of course. it is not altogether your fault. some days it seems like it tax longer than medical school it get something done around here. but i would like to ask you where we are? congress has spoken explicitly, we want this project built, we have appropriated money, supposed to be in louisiana. the people in louisiana and universities there have gotten together and want to put, as do i, at the want to put it at mcneace how do we get it done? >> that is certainly the path we are on. i know we have been engaging your staff with your engagement

of fins that we are on the path it advance. one thing i would note is we have taken to heart your observation that the facility that is there now at mcneese state creates an opportunity to lunch what we are seeking to do with the taxpayer dollars that are entrusted to us. we have directedment g.s.a. to provide options in like charles for that lng center of excellence. we need to make sure we follow the procurement process and there are adequate resources from the center and we are working with you on that. but certainly recognize that importance and potential of this facility and the value it could bring making sure we have the safest and post environmentaly responsible lng processes. sen. kennedy: so it is going to be placed in louisiana, is that

right? sec. buttigieg: yes. sen. kennedy: and in like carlos. >> we directed them to fine sites in like charles and part of that is the existing academic center being able to benefit from that co-location. so pending the procurement process, propositions, that is the direction we are heading. sen. kennedy: and you are working with become knees state university and other universities? sec. buttigieg: yes. sen. kennedy: in one minute i have left i would like your opinion on something. i'm worried about boeing not just from a commercial perspective, from a national security perspective. i would like your thoughts on that. sec. buttigieg: well, the importance of boeing in economic terms and strategist terms can't be overstated given the role they play in american industry,

aerospace, and not just regional economy but the u.s. did economy. i take care to focus on the safety dimension above all else and certainly the f.a.a.'s equities it can only strictly be about safety. but i also believe that getting the safety picture rate making sure at the address their quality control issues and any cultural issues in terms of prioriiing quality will come down to the economic and strategic importance with a firm that large and that important of a role. sen. kennedy: we are not just competing against airbus but other countries. i appreciate your candor on that. thank you, mr. chairman. chair schatz: senator reed. sen. reed: thank you.

thank you for your hospitaly. i'm simultaneously chairing the armed service the -- services committee. we are aware of the collapse of bridge in baltimore which was a horrendous impact on that city and aware supporting our colleagues doing everything we can to get it up and running. but you know we had something similar with the imagine bridge that connects the east and west sides of the metropolitan area had to be coasted, at least the west lanes. as a result, you have seen it our business community, our traffic, our commuting where young people mean going to school, getting from the home to a hospital appointment has been

does interrupted. it appears that the replacement of the bridge about $360 million is way beyond our federal highway allocation. i would ask for your help to get us some emergency relief at least make us eligible for that and your help would be appreciated. sec. buttigieg: i'm very conscious of the importance of this bridge after walking it at your invitation in rhode island and sitting with the mayor of east providence and understanding the impact of the communities. our federal highway administration will 10 actively working with the rhode island d.o.t. to provide whatever support we can. that is including technical support and assistance in traffic management and operations it deal with the disruption and secondly involvement in supporting rhode

island d.o.t. developing the r.f.p. for the replacement structure which was issued april 29. wail we have not been able to determine that there would be eligibility for the e.r. program as it stands, we do see will you federal aid formula fundinged a discretionary funding can be helpful here and we are working with r.i. d.o.t. to identify opportunities there and want to be a resource any way it help the communities get back to normal and get that bridge into the state it needs to be. sen. reed: let me thank you for coming to rhode island and director of the federal highway administration. we appreciate very much your personal involvement. and it might require a legislative language it get rhode island on the list so we will work to try to do that. within other aspect of transportation is transit,

public transit is facing a fiscal cliff of the pandemic era flexible transit offering funning expired, that was helping them make it through the crisis. then rider ship levels have not returned to the pre-pandemic levels. how is d.o.t. trying to help these public transit agencies to financial? sec. buttigieg: we 10 to be concerned about this beginning in fiscal year 2025 several large urban areas are expected it face an operating short fall and allowing those systems it decline would empair our economy. not only are there 370,to you direct jobs in play but the latest data on usage shows even in 2022 with the diminished post-covid levels there were section billion trips on public transit. that is why the 2025 budget

props next funds from federal highways to be used for operating expenses. we think that operational, that additional flexibility will be helpful to transit agencies as they develop longer term plans and as we see rider slip although it is not back to pre-covid partners we see an increasing return is we know if reliability and frequency can be stand we can expect it satisfy continued use and revenue that comes with that. sen. kennedy: thank you. transit is one of the principal ways low income families get it work and school and get through life. so anything we do would be helpful. and thank you for your distinguished service. chair schatz: >> nice to be here.

march 2 we send a letter to you regarding the nhtsa advanced impaired driving prfrpbgs technology rulemaking. safety on the rules in the mountainous roads of my state in west virginia is a top priority for me as i'm sure it is for you. i'm eager it see these promising technologies starting with 2026. i think so commentser comments have been robust and i hope it is a top priority for nhtsa as it will save to uses of lives. the ntsb notah nhtsa is over a decade lined and adding to add increased cost and consumer backlash. how are you balancing these compeing comments and could it delay the final ruling.

sec. buttigieg: thank you to your attention. we estimate about a tiered of all fatalities are related to impaired driver which is why nhtsa has been energetic in working to kpwhraoeu with the rule making providing in the infrastructure law. the comments were robust to put pest specificity to that. there were about 18,000 comments so nhtsa is reviewing those. we do need it make sure we balance all the different concerns in play. but do it in a way that meets our safety mission. tell continue to work through those comments and every intention and expectation is a prompt rulemaking. we need it make sure we understand how the technologies will be put in play knowing it

is one thing to have technology or prototype and another to mandate it. >> do you anticipate it being on time in 2026 is it gentleman i have not received a definitive because they are still grappling with the comments but that is our aim. >> i will sound like store canada because i'm a broken record on by issues. we put that in the iija and one key component two kerry goal for the environmental review process. i'm told they have been implemented. in march we received a list of the federal highway administration of projects currently under way. there are eight on that list. hard to believe there are only eight. of these section are listed as currently extended or delayed and are expected to have an extension or delay in the future. two remaining projects have notices of intent issued in february and scheduled not

posted on the dashboard. almost all of them have missed or are expecting to miss the two-year goal. i find this very frustrating. the point of this is it manufacture projects not just get them done but you get more projects done if you can do it in a timely fashion. will you commit to making staff available it brief my staff on the calendars facing each project and what the agency is doing to address these? sec. buttigieg: yes, we would be happy toen gauge you on that. nobody is support impatient about getting projects done -- >> what do you attribute the delay to? sec. buttigieg: each project has its own characteristics but we can only certify that permitting is met if it is true. a lot of it is back and forth with the state but i directed our team to accept a moral if not legal responsibility to be

side by side -- >> it is not just meant for states but all federal agencies to be cooperating an moving to win federal decision. what accountability are you asking for e.p.a., corps of engineers, fish and wildlife? why that is part of why we have the interagency partnerships on implementing the bill and that is reflected that every scheduled posted on the dashboard for e.i.s. that is initiated since the fiscal responsibility act is shorter than two years compliant with the statute. we have some e.i.s.'s that were initiated as early as a decade ago so these have gone through a lot before we even arrived at this. but when it companies to something we can do for example the provisions that you put forward that made it possible for us to adopt a categorical exclusion working with d.o.e. so if something didn't go into that

more elaborate process. that can help us on the front end. >> are you using that provision? sec. buttigieg: yes, i believe that is -- >> can we have follow-up on that? >> sec. buttigieg: yes. >> i do have another question on project grant agreements they are not getting out the door, they are delayed as well and i'm frustrated but i will submit that for the record. chair schatz: before i move to senator murphy. senator capito we will have some of our staff participate in that briefing so we are tracking everything. for murphy. sen. murphy: first let me note an emergency situation in connecticut that you i think have been briefed on this morning. there was a major tanker fire that erupted on interstate 95 near exit 15 the fairfield avenue overpass in norwalk.

to major injuries reported but 95 is closed downed a pay be for days depending on how fast we are able to make that bridge structurally sound and understand the extent of the fuel leakage. early estimates are 8,500 gallons it looked and we have to make sure the surrounding communities and water shed are safe. i know pufrt out a statement on there but i want to get your commitment that you will be working throughout the day personally and through carr staff to make sure we assess the damage we get crews out there and get the highwayed a overpass open as safe as possible for commuters and residents. sec. buttigieg: absolutely. i spoke to the governor this morning and the federal highway administrator is tracking this poly. we will get involved and we will do everything to get back to normal. we have been reminded how important a smooth and normal

ride on i-95 can be. >> is stamford connecticut the average income is $43,000 but in bridgeport the average is $29,000, simply not enough to get by in a state with a relatively high cost of living lake connecticut. there are a multiplicity of reasons for but the prior priority one is the distance from new york city which is the driving engine for fairfield county. it is so maddening that bridgeport is only 70 miles from new york but still requires an hour and 40 men's train ride to get to the city. there is to rain in 2024 that should be the case. the great news is through the

infrastructure act we are finally delivering some serious money to allow us to do the bridge repairs track additions an engine upgrades to be able to get 140 down to maybe down to 125 in the next 10 years. but as you know and senator coons already asked about amtrak funding, once it big chunk of bipartisan minute rounds we will be scrambling as a committee to fill the gaps and it is concerning it look at the fed-state partnerships that are continuing to be underfunded advices have where they were in 2022 or 2023 and i want to make sure that we are working with you it make sure that those numbers get back up at least to their lay water marks of the last 10 years and hopefully far

beyond so we don't have there interruption -- this interruption in momentum for the projects that we are undergoing to help a community like bridgeport once the bipartisan dollars expire? >> thank you, and i certainly agree people experience distance not in terms of miles but minutes and we know we can do something by tackling the back log in terms of repair and accelerating things in the northeast corridor. that is what we are going after and we think chrissie plays a role. the drawer 250 million requested is on top of the advanced proposition for total of about $1.2 billion. but the fiscal responsibility act has required us to make challenging choices to make it add up. the only person more enthusiastic than i taught i would be the post enthusiastic is the president and you can counts on this administration to

be highly committed to improving travel times and reliability on the northeast corridor and any corridor in the u.s. sen. american,. what we hoped it see is states would make their own commitments. connecticut has done thrafpl the governor's plan is all about matching the federal investment with significant state investment to get a 25 minute containing in travel time on the met renorth line from new haven to new york which would continue it transform and grow new haven more critical for her income communities. grateful for your recognition that we have to have a plan to get the accounts back up to the proper levels to deep r keep that momentum going. chair schatz: senator hogan. >> thank you sepbgt for being with us. one thing we've pushed to

develop is unmanned aviation. and in the reauthorization bill aware working on and hopefully will pass through the senate an september it the house next week where again it will hopefully be pass expeditiously because the current authorization expires may 10. one is testing for the u.a.s. test sites the. one provides being establish two more u.a.s. test sites and we modified that language because there was a requirement you establish more test sites an ones we have now one of which is in our state are doing an incredible job and i think we need to be careful we are not just adding test sites to add it is sites so we put in there away changed that along to play establish up it two more so we

both limited it and put may establish is we're getting what we feed, we are not -- what we need. tell me how you intend it approach that. sec. buttigieg: first of all, we are very cognizant of the value added by test site you have described. our total budget request for u.a.s. is $149 million and a big part is critical research on standards and advanced concepts appear applications and also the management and operations of the center of excellence. there are seven f.a.a. designated test sites and the objective is to provide that kind of verification of safety for the different kinds of u.s. applications that are going to have to be integrated. whatever congress prescribes in terms of flexibility and how many sites are kind of a floor or ceiling, f.a.a. will work

with you and existing test sites to optimize what we have. sen. hoeven: i'm sure we will have report language that goes to that very point. that sounds like the right kind of working. another example is restrictions that it can only supporten manned aircraft. for folks in this 20 years you may have to test sensors on manned aircraft so you have to have flexibility in these -- it is one thing to prescribe stuff you know nothing about, it is another to work with experts. that's what i'm trying to get across. we first established our u. u.a.s. center in 2005 so that is almost 20 years ago. others are just showing up to the party. we want to make sure you rely on the expertise you have. sec. buttigieg: and the f. afplt .a.

administrator whitaker we are pleased he is in that. he necessary that so your strong support for his efforts are appreciated. the university north dakota we have a pilot training school at the probably have a fleet of more than 100 aircraft. right now everybody has to go to oklahoma city to be an air traffic controller and finish this r education there which is a about the income. there's a new initiative that administrator whittaker has undertaken the air traffic collegiate training initiative to allow schools with the expertise lake university of north dakota to take these individuals all the way to the point where technique take test and -- take the test to relove the bottle income. i want to ask for your opinion

and support. >> at a time we need more air traffic controllers an through put of hiring we know that means being imaginative about force multipliers to add to the capacity we have in our f.a.a. academy and our academy is an extraordinary resource and it is something we are very played of. they are doing a great job. the program that you referenced will make it possible for us to add through colleges and universities that have deep expertise in this area and appreciate university of north dakota's interest in participating. to be clear as you acknowledged graduates still need to pass air track scientist s. program. we won'ten kraes by decrease standards but this provides another avenue to do that much the applications opened april 1 we will keep tell open on a rolling basis and f.a.a. has already been able to get guidance on criteria and course work but we'll need to continue to be closely working in person with these institutions to

deliver on the promise of that idea. sen. hoeven: associate administrator for airports has been helping us with the fargo airport. it is a fantastic project, serves at last that states, maybe three. i would ask for your support for her efforts. she is been rights on target so i ask for your support and we received a grants on correlating highway 85 which the tpwhoel is to run from mexico to canada and i ask for tkwrar -- i ask for your support on that. sec. buttigieg: yes. chair schatz: it is a little rare we individual civil servant is called out by name and in such a positive way si love it. -- is i love it. before i recognize senator van hollen i want to speak for the committee to say whatever you need aware hear. senator van hollin.

sen. van hollen: i know we are working on perjure relief and i want to thank you and president biden for your immediate and continued support for the city of baltimore and state of maryland in the aftermath of the awful tragedy, the collapse of the key bridge. were there that day. you called folks at 3:00 a.m. and i too want to thank you for being this time and time again and not just delivering important words of support, but delivering real help and results. that is true of you and the president of the united states. thank you for that. this morning we just heard news that we had recovered a fifth

body, six individuals lost their lives in that collapse. and, as you know our priority has been it support their families and we continue that. the other priority and you have spoken it this eloquently, is opening the port of baltimore fully. thank you for all of your efforts there. the arm corps of engineers has done amazing work. we already cleared within 35-foot channel that allows 80% of the port's business to be restored and we hope by the end of it month to clear the 50-foot channel and resume all operations at the part of baltimore. as you said and the camera recognized, this is a disaster that had national implications. that is why we appreciate the fact that the president has said from day one that we will, the federal government, will help

maryland, baltimore, in rebuilding the bridge and support 100% of the cost recognizing that any funds recovered from lawsuits for wrongdoing will be recouped by federal taxpayers. i want to thank you and the president for working quickly to make sure maryland entered the emergency relief program which covers 90% of the cost, also for your emergency help through immediate funds it deal with traffic mitigation. but as you know because we worked with you and the administration, senator carden and i and our delegation on a bipartisan basis have introduced legislation to meet the president's pledge to provide 100% of funding in the wake of this disaster. i want to get your understanding is it your full support for that

legislation. >> thank you, yes. as you know the president committed in person and in public to making sure that the federal government fully supports the costs of rebuilding. that means 100%. we welcome your leadership and that of the maryland delegation in working to get the statutory authority that would be these to take us from 90% to 100%. sen. van hollen: i want to touch on that other issues but before that i want to say to the chairman the hope of the maryland delegation is, diet the passage of that legislation as soon as possible. if it is not on the f.a.a. bill, it has to be the next matter of business and including some much the things the chairman and i have worked on. so, another issue that is immediately before us with respect it the f.a.a. are these five additional slots that some members are pushed for, for

d.c.a. i want you to reaffirm what you stated you visited d.c.a. you understand that one runway is the hardest working runway in the national air space. you went on it say we would be concerned about the pressure that could be put on the system from toe those additional slots. are you still concerned? >> yes we have it prioritize safety in every decision that is made which means that if there is any kind of condition where the tower is overburdened, the only alternative to allowing an unsafe condition which the f.a.a. will never do is likelihood of delays.

sen. van hollen: i appreciate that. safety has to be paramount. the bill is focused on safety so it would be unacceptable to have a bill designed to focus on safety that kproe pieces safety at d.c.a. if i could in crowing i want to tank secretary for all the work in rebuilding after the bridge collapse and thank you also for your work as we look to the future of baltimore city both with the red line as well as our reconnecting communities in west baltimore which is the reason the reconnecting communities provision was in the infrastructure and modernization bill it deal with the highway to to where which divided a black community in west baltimore. you have been there, you have seen itover so we look forward to our continued work together on that. sec. buttigieg: like which is. thank you. chair schatz: senator manchin.

sen. manchin: thank you for being here an always contacting, corresponding and getting back with us on different concerns. i appreciate your attention from your office and yourself especially. the biden administration provided $7.5 billion to build a network of chargers but that is not accurate. i want to go over why because i any away wrote the bill the way we did. your department is responsible nor allocating 2.5 through the carjacking and fueling program to put publicly accessible refueling infrastructure long asking fated corridors while carjacking is eligible for this it is not the only technology that there is. we are very clear in the bill about that. hydrogen, propane and natural gas fueling are eligible which is why i included an management in the mark-up of the fiscal year 2024 transportation

appropriation that directs consider department to differ fair and full consideration it each eligible technology and not to restrict it to e.v. carjacking trur. unfortunately of the 47 awards provided in the program so far all but four, 43 of them have been for e.v. carjack -- charge. i would like skwhraurpb that you understand the bill and if you are trying to correct that or looking at the inequality of how the distribution going. >> thank you. i can assure you in reviewing applications the department is always taking care it make sure it conforms to the statute can you go those that creates toes eligibles for the chargers. i think the bulk of the successful grant applications have been electric for the same reason the bulk of private

sector investment in turn fall for hit duty vehicles has been on look vehicle charging. but any program from the alternative fuel consider door to c.f.i. that has an inclusive definition where e.v.'s are eligible but not the only thing that is eligible we will apply that faithfully and judge every application based on merits and conformity it statute. sen. manchin: if you would consider in rural areas where you might have calendars from the great electrical gas and larger trucks are looking a the hydrogen for long haul they have the horsepower and ability and very clean but we are having a hard advertisement getting it going because i have to be honest the administration is little lackluster on how we make hydrogen and things of this sort but it is the fuel of the future as far as the heavy trains, answer planes but definitely trucks. and fueling stations in remote

areas, point, wyoming, the west and lake we have mountainous areas electric doesn't do it. so if you could consider the terrain and elections you are dealing with on turn at all sources it would help tremendously. also i would like to -- i know you have been helpful on corridor h and corridor h going through west virginia president johnson is part of listen system essential 1965 we have been trying it check sense 1965. we are getting close, almost there, you have been great. we need your commitment to finish this thing. i hope it is high on your radar screen and i know you have some tremendous staff that understands west virginia very well standing behind you that understands and lives in that part of the state that understands how desperately we need that and i-81 connection would be unbelievable. >> we are very mindful of

corridor l and we will continue it work on that with the resource eligibilities we've. sen. manchin: and ticket agents. you helped us in west virginia the new river train and expand the rail service that keeps the state cooked it rest of the nation were the agency was thankful the grant of $500,000 toward amtrak we would not have kept these system. what we've right now is the capital limited which runs to the eastern panhandle and cardinal which runs from new york city to chicago both transversing our southern part of our state. the bechtel national scout reserve has been blessed by this and charles, huntington it is a

life line and they are using it more. we've paid upgrades it handle the passengers in a more friendly atmosphere. with that, the stake helders in west virginia we're working it restore a seven-day a week service on the critical transportation route. if you would look into that we would be grateful because i think it justifies it. i don't know how much you know about that but are you finding an uptick on train traffic? >> there's more excitement in that. my boss is all about it and aware doing everything we can differ resteroid service appear reliability. sen. manchin,. how is the high speed working. i have been watching that in california and nevada. >> we broke grown on that. at the aim to have that train in service by 2028. it with mark the first high speed rail service and revenue on rail service -- sen. mancini:

i looked at that and thought that one train has a chance it be raw neutral, raw making. did you see any first it can pay for itself we we've the investment made? why aware investing in capital side but within rain you see a private player they be in the strd raw potential which will i have line is different, that is one that seams well suited. sen. manchin: so aware in the obligated to talk care of it? why it we made a capital side but it is up to the business to operate it. chair schatz: senator sinema. sen. sinema: thank you buttigieg for being hear. in arizona we feel the before impacts of the bipartisan infrastructure lawed a investments of over $7.7

billion. included $4.7 billion it improve roads, bridges, ports of entry and airports. arizona's airports have received over $263 million it make enhance wants and improved service. when i wrote the pwarsz infrastructure law working toward prince lake completing widing of efrpbgs 10 it moves tens of millions of people. thanks it the grant award by the pwarsz infrastructure law an expanded three lane i-10 through the indian community will be a reality. arizonans are excited for this and we look forward to our partnership in implementing all aspects of the bill. you said in your testimony that safety is d.o.t. agencies primary mission. you contacted me last friday it

let me know a railway train derailed language the arizona and new mexico board with gas two of them caught fire. there coasted interstate 40 inial directions paused service on the chief and prompted a two mile evacuation radius. aware eager it gets more information. details have been hard to come by on the cause or bake information like the fire duration or how they have figured out concernsment can you explain the time line of the investigation including how the cost of the derailment will be determineded a how will the department determine people are informed as it srls. sec. buttigieg: thank you. as you noted, this incident had or attention from day one. we were in touch at that time and we have been monitoring it since. in this case the investigation was affected by the fact that

f.r.a. personnel will limited site access which will the fire of still burning and in that first instance we will defer it emergency respondsers work on securing the site containing the fire and managing the evacuation before the investigative dimension can take prioritiment my understanding is ntsb is involved but in observer status. i will confirmed that with your office it make sure that information is still current. provided that it is, f.r.a. will lead the investigation but they may play a rule since l.p.g. feels involved. the f.r.a. administrator was there monday and we'll continue to have as much peninsula as required to support the community the original evacuation effected 50 individuals but that is lifted on sunday. i will follow up and get you any other information regularing that this remains an active

investigation. sen. sinema: it was on favre so nation landment my office was informed about a lack of tribal community notification after the fact. so the d.o.t.'s arrest notice of proposed rulemaking provides rails it provide information to first responders within a 10 mail radius does that intend to cover tribal a communities and if not do you have plans it clarify the final relevance? >> i would expect so. i will look into that. at or level i was on the phone with the navajo nation president promptly but if the railroad missed any responsibilities for it i would want it know and i can tell our assistant secretary for tribal affairs will conduct a site visit and i will make and i will make sure that is on his agenda. >> border infrastructure is critical to arizona and the country.

the douglas commercial port of entry will need significant roadway, utility, and infrastructure investment to fulfill inspection obligations and reached the commercial and industrial potential it has for the surrounding area. how well do do you prioritize investment to strengthen the economy and improve the movement of goods in and through border regions? secretary buttigieg: border infrastructure is important for our economic future and deserves to rate highly in infrastructure plans and funding. that is one reason why i think many projects for border infrastructure and border communities have performed well in our discretionary grant programs made possible through the bipartisan infrastructure law. this includes the raised grant to the port of entry in el paso from fiscal year 2022, a grant for mesa east, the rural grant

that benefited an arizona community along the border and the inn grant for texas. we are looking at extraordinarily -- extraordinary projected growth of freight crossing at these borders at a time where there has been heightened attention ever since clover the -- covid as to the fluidity of our supply chain. it will continue to be priority. as we see more and more applications come in, porter-related applications will compete very effectively. >> with your indulgence, a final question. we were happy to secure a commitment from d.o.t. to support construction of the interstate 11 corridor project. you know how important that is to the state. what is the department doing to aid the planning or development of the i 11? >> this is a project we have discussed many times given high

demand and growth taking place along the quarter -- corridor. looking at the national picture it's rare to find any area of comparable population and profit growth that has not had some kind of direct interstate connection. at the tier one eis got its record of decision in november 2021. i know there are firms or faces and a stage is taking place, particularly on the nevada side. we welcome the opportunity to get more for an update for you in writing. but i understand both nevada and arizona sites are committing to moving forward and will work through any issues or obstacles that come up together. >> thank you. >> secretary, thank you for coming today. the hearing record will remain open until thursday, may 9 to allow members to submit additional questions for the record. the hearing is now adjourned.

>> if you ever miss any c-span covered find it online anytime at c-span.org with videos of key

hearings, debates, and other events featuring markers that guide you to interesting and newsworthy highlights. the markers appear on the right of your screen when you hit play on selected videos. the timeline tool makes it easy to quickly get an idea of what was debated and decided in washington. scroll through to spend a few minutes on c-span points of interest. >> friday night, watching c-span's 2024 campaign trail, a weekly roundup of c-span campaign coverage providing a one-stop shop to discover what candidates across the country are send to voters along with first-hand accounts from political reporters, updated phone numbers, fundraising data, and campaign ads. watching c-span's 2024 campaign trail friday night at 7:30 p.m. eastern at c-span, online at c-span.org or download as a

podcast on c-span now, all our free mobile app or wherever you get your podcasts. c-span, your unfiltered view of politics. >> sunday on q&a, former rhode island democratic congressman patrick kennedy authors of "profiles in mental health courage" talk about americans that struggle with mental illness and the role family members play in their care. >> in my case with my mother my brother, sister and i had to get guardianship. we saved her life so she could be around with my kids. my kids never met my father, obviously. he died before they were born. they got to meet my mom. they got to meet my mom because my brother, sister, and i went to court to get guardianship over our mother to keep her from killing herself. she was so happy. at the time she was not happy. but she ended up being so grateful she was able to make it

through because we intervened. >> patrick kennedy with his book "profiles in mental health courage" sunday night at 8:00 eastern on c-span q&a. listen to q&a and not a podcast on our free c-span now app. >> c-span is your unfiltered view of government funded by these television companies and more including cox. >> this syndrome is extremely rare. but friends do not have to be. this is joe. when you are connected, you aren't alone. >> cox supports c-span as a public service. along with these other television providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> president biden talked about the ongoing college campus protests over the israel hamas