This past week was a busy one in the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.  We welcomed U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) Secretary Sean Duffy to Capitol Hill where he testified before the Committee.  As we work to move the Surface Reauthorization Act forward, it was incredibly valuable to hear directly from Secretary Duffy the Department’s priorities.  Collaboration with the Administration, particularly the USDOT, is critical to crafting the best possible policy that can pass each chamber of Congress.  

Catch up on my week in Washington below!

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With my support, H.R. 4275, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025, was passed by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.  H.R. 4275 authorizes funding for the Coast Guard to safeguard our nation's territorial waters and maritime borders, stop the flow of illegal drugs and criminal migrants into the country, facilitate commerce, increase transparency, and confront Chinese expansion in the Asia-Pacific.

The men and women of our United States Coast Guard deserve to have the resources and tools needed to effectively protect America’s maritime interests.  I am proud to see the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025 advance out of the Committee with broad, bipartisan support.  It is a strong step forward for national security, economic resilience, and those who wear the Coast Guard uniform with honor.

H.R. 4275 also further protects the historic investments for the Coast Guard that were made in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

The Senate's Coast Guard Reauthorization Act passed on March 5, 2025.  You can read more on their bill here.  After H.R. 4275 is passed in the House, discussions with Chairman Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation will commence. 

On Thursday, I was invited to speak at the USDOT’s “America is Building Again” kickoff event at their headquarters in Washington, D.C.  Secretary Duffy and I, along with USDOT Deputy Secretary Steven Bradbury and T&I Chairman Sam Graves addressed the room full of industry stakeholders, including state department of transportation secretaries from across the country. 

It was great to hear Secretary Duffy's goals align with the Committee's as we work together for a safer, more efficient, and innovative transportation and infrastructure.

You can watch the full event here.

I was proud to welcome the Corn Growers Association of North Carolina to Washington this past week.  As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I value their insights on the challenges and opportunities facing corn producers in our state.

These are the folks feeding our communities and fueling our economy, and their voice is critical in shaping smart, effective farm policy.  I’m grateful they made the trip up to Capitol Hill, and I’ll keep working to ensure North Carolina’s farm families are heard loud and clear in Washington.