[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},"mediaId",6052442,"mediaKeyId","3396878-ee15c5c0bc6b830d2a6d03b16c479bc7","parentId",3396878,"title","Senators press DOT on shipbuilding funding, ports and condition of Merchant Marine Academy","audioSeconds",2182,"startMs",1305000,"endMs",3487000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396878-ee15c5c0bc6b830d2a6d03b16c479bc7&start=1305&end=3487","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396878-ee15c5c0bc6b830d2a6d03b16c479bc7/thumbnail_1305000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6052442/Senators-press-DOT-on-shipbuilding-funding-ports-and-condition-of-Merchant-Marine-Academy","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052442-f93f108d963188d9c6c0b19457aff2dd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771031014&Signature=CeO94zJ80DHwHwd4Boepp0W22NLcRESrWYwmttOoqBNHeYzz8QjnAi7Vw2y3p5TNsYEgx9tfpGizfsSyQ3sTpqdRWSQMwbRC86bkrGHzLu8RkzcYr0tXff6Baxs1iyDlo5Rb~B9jDuDByoulP6D9bZPeX5chEUNt7iHoUi4MYIYtcocEPjxe21bSOrQJ2nudkJVCnwceTCiJBjVsFzWGrbxr-iuf3~uGeAuu6pJxN~zc8ThuhodFHuiW4tpgF6K1n7z2BAEOexxKGfQXcdy4xmQ96eLpgfp63nYsl~BwxKjwf4eXwywXpmLMIcBKEAOm9onoMB3n1Fisjo4R0l25Ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations","date","2025-05-15T00:00:00Z","article","Senators on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee pressed Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy about administration proposals to increase investment in ports, small shipyards and maritime training, and asked for a written plan to address deteriorating conditions at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York.

Summary of witness statements

Duffy highlighted proposed increases for maritime programs in the administration's fiscal 2026 request, including the Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) and assistance to small shipyards. \"The request recommends $550,000,000 in PIDP, a roughly $430,000,000 increase above current spending level,\" he said, and noted a $105,000,000 proposal for assistance to small shipyards.

Senators' concerns and requests

Sen. Susan Collins (R) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) asked Duffy about support for maritime academies and workforce development. Collins said the academies are \"absolutely essential for facilitating commerce and strengthening our national security by educating training the next generation of American Mariners.\" Gillibrand and other senators pressed Duffy to produce a plan to modernize the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy's deteriorating facilities.

Duffy acknowledged specific problems at Kings Point and said the department plans to work with the Army Corps of Engineers to develop a plan for using previously appropriated funds. \"The midshipmen went 4 months without hot water, taking cold showers at the academy,\" Duffy said. He told senators he believed roughly $170 million had been appropriated but not effectively used and said DOT would submit a plan to the committee.

Why it matters

Senators framed maritime funding as both an economic and national-security issue: port infrastructure supports commerce and small shipyards and maritime academies provide the workforce and industrial base for commercial and defense needs. Several senators recommended continued or increased federal support to rebuild domestic shipbuilding capacity.

Next steps

Duffy said DOT would work with the Army Corps of Engineers to produce a written plan for Kings Point and report back to the committee. Senators requested follow-up materials and timelines.

Ending

Lawmakers from multiple states welcomed the attention to shipbuilding and port investment and asked DOT to prioritize clear, written plans, and effective use of prior appropriations to fix urgent academy and shipyard needs.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Subcommittee Hearing: A Review of the President’s Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Request for the Department of Transportation","oneSentenceSummary","Senators welcomed the administration's increased proposed funding for port infrastructure and small shipyards but pressed Secretary Duffy for a written plan and better use of previously appropriated funds for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point.","taxTitle","Appropriations: Senate Committee, Standing Committees - House & Senate, Congressional Hearings Compilation, Legislative, Federal","taxId",1986,"location","","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6052449,"DOT reviews 3,200 awarded grants; senators press for faster obligation, clarity on removed requirements",3304,1858000,5162000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396878-ee15c5c0bc6b830d2a6d03b16c479bc7&start=1858&end=5162","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396878-ee15c5c0bc6b830d2a6d03b16c479bc7/thumbnail_1858000.jpg","/articles/6052449/DOT-reviews-3200-awarded-grants-senators-press-for-faster-obligation-clarity-on-removed-requirements","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052449-e3881abc316fa6ec5924e4eeefc28b93/orig.mp4?Expires=1771031014&Signature=FIQbRiUGVgqgE6VCgL92h8h4CKjJhmzrQWLJhWGtZNFupn3GGWNl0Oq2bV3mzY8XRStBb0SZU6U4SOQ42gJaCuuetqLjelaQ1vWpp9uyGcTpgVTMqZfn5ExzbCy~efIYoL40QL6Say3sXPIWV7Oqo7a51CdvEL1~pe5NOVA-K7llOd41Grb3aoaG-zjGraGarA5q2sGif9UY93rgOlLGzJQ3IKwO11IJaba8XpKd~h7Q3S8ICdy2S97mYP7kkZ8c4a2pXjKeepCOy6uP15iLoMEZtQaJnJIMgSf3~GddY~sTXVWRL5Gw~rF-pr8vXg7r2qcbZ6WZ6LK2~p1W3xEXBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Department of Transportation is reviewing roughly 3,200 announced grant awards that do not yet have signed grant agreements, Secretary Sean Duffy told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and said the department intends to remove some previously required language on climate and diversity initiatives from grant agreements in order to speed execution.

Why it matters: Senators from both parties praised recent infrastructure investment but said the current pace of converting announced awards into executed grant agreements and released funds must accelerate so state and local governments can begin work and meet contractual timelines.

What DOT said

Duffy told senators the department inherited \"an unprecedented backlog of 3,200 awarded projects without signed grant agreements,\" some dating to 2022. He said DOT had approved \"over 400 grants totaling $4,900,000,000\" in his first 100 days in office and described plans to consolidate multiple grants-tracking systems into one dashboard to improve transparency.

Duffy also said the department will drop certain grant requirements that he described as costly and time-consuming, including some climate- and equity-related language used by prior administrations in Notices of Funding Opportunity. \"What we've done is asked to repurpose some of the requirements inside of those grant agreements,\" he said, adding his aim was to \"save you money and allow you to move quicker on your projects.\"

Concerns from senators

Sen. Patty Murray (D) sharply criticized the pace and framing of DOT's changes. \"You are causing a traffic jam from freezing funding for projects to creating new hurdles by reevaluating grants that had already been approved,\" she said.

Sen. Brian Schatz (D) urged DOT to provide a clear throughput metric and timetable for completing the review. Senators raised the risk that projects could face higher costs or lose match funding if execution is delayed.

DOT responses and next steps

Duffy said grants and obligations already executed are not being stopped and that his team is prioritizing moving funds to projects once agreements are in place. He acknowledged that the current pace is not fast enough and said he was pushing for technological and staffing changes to move the backlog more quickly. He offered to provide members with a month-by-month chart of grant-agreement execution to show progress.

Quotes

- \"We've inherited an unprecedented backlog of 3,200 awarded projects without signed grant agreements,\" Secretary Sean Duffy.

- \"You are causing a traffic jam from freezing funding for projects to creating new hurdles by reevaluating grants that had already been approved,\" Sen. Patty Murray.

Clarifying details

- Duffy said the DOT had approved over 400 grants totaling about $4.9 billion in his first 100 days in office but that about 3,200 announced awards still lacked executed grant agreements.

- Duffy described 10 to 14 separate grants-tracking systems at DOT and proposed a single public dashboard to increase transparency and speed.

Ending

Senators requested written detail and timelines from DOT on how quickly the department will convert announced awards into signed grant agreements and obligate funds, and asked DOT to provide materials for the hearing record within 30 days.","Secretary Duffy said the Department of Transportation is reexamining roughly 3,200 announced grants that lack signed grant agreements and will remove certain climate and equity conditions from grant agreements; senators warned the review is slowing projects and asked for timelines to avoid losing obligated funds.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":72,"_74":72},6052453,"DOT secretary urges rapid FAA modernization, outlines staffing and procurement steps",1834,1001000,2835000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3396878-ee15c5c0bc6b830d2a6d03b16c479bc7&start=1001&end=2835","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3396878-ee15c5c0bc6b830d2a6d03b16c479bc7/thumbnail_1001000.jpg","/articles/6052453/DOT-secretary-urges-rapid-FAA-modernization-outlines-staffing-and-procurement-steps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6052453-ceef78a905d32f60481dd8b27779675c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771031014&Signature=WOG5cfRu3t26CHsYvGJfOxH2B2ntXyKO-kZvdJ6LZGjuDCWA92LwDXQhb2K2US9dtEeyv~I5xSDTR2cpMJndx05O9X6aHWupbeZzIGiG2URVqlVOz6PKGKtJxsfJ-IwEVEyjvS5Gk7ixO15SCXoh3PCvxSynnIFUm4cPeueS5j0RwwB5H8Iyzv0ci-IpIDZEU2eKoZ2zVKGQY2vjVzjL0GCpzHkpVerKqYYd8EnVQWmy8Yj3oX-EIJFcDCWuf1LPNDR5SpEFE75t8SLnPeNXRsJQvCpHluWK3aat3gfJQN5MeGc37DZNjrtfBlzcP0u-YxK8URmjY9Iz45DKhMMC5g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development that the Department of Transportation\fannot wait years to modernize the nation's air traffic control system and needs expedited funding and staffing changes to do it.

The department's budget request for fiscal 2026 includes increases for FAA hiring and modernization, but Duffy said the money for a full modernization program is not included in the administration's topline and urged Congress to consider advanced appropriations. \"I would like this body to give the DOT and the FAA the money upfront, advanced appropriations,\" he said, adding he would have FAA provide quarterly updates on timelines and budgets.

Why it matters: Lawmakers repeatedly pressed Duffy about a string of safety and operational problems this year, including the fatal crash over the Potomac and major disruptions at Newark and Reagan National airports. Senators across the aisle urged immediate steps to reduce safety risk while also asking for clear dollar figures and timeframes for modernization.

Most important facts

- Secretary Sean Duffy said the administration's fiscal 2026 request would increase discretionary DOT funding to push modernization, but that the specific funding vehicle for a full FAA modernization is not in the budget and should be provided up front.

- Duffy said the FAA is roughly 3,000 air traffic controllers short and described several actions to address the pipeline: prioritizing highest-scoring applicants into the FAA Academy, accelerating medical processing, adding counseling and tutoring to reduce the academy'5% washout rate, and offering experienced controllers a 20% retention bonus.

- Duffy also described technical fixes and contingency steps: using 3D printing for legacy parts, consolidating multiple grants-tracking systems into a single dashboard, and seeking permitting reforms if fiber and other telecom work must be done rapidly.

What was said and by whom

Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R), chair of the subcommittee, opened the hearing by noting the committee's bipartisan history and the urgency of air-safety work. \"Secretary Duffy, thank you for being here today to testify on the budget request from the Department of Transportation,\" she said.

Duffy summarized the administration approach and progress since he took office: \"Our department has already saved taxpayers more than $9,500,000,000 in the president's first 100 plus days,\" and he described the need to replace decades-old equipment. \"I want to build a system that's like the iPhone that we can continue to build upon as new technology becomes available,\" he said.

Sen. Susan Collins (R) asked specifically about emergency funding to cover the full cost of a comprehensive modernization. \"Will you work with the committee on the concept of having emergency funding that would cover the entire cost of this much needed replacement?\" she asked. Duffy replied that he would welcome advanced appropriations and offer quarterly updates on progress.

Sen. Patty Murray (D) said recent staffing reductions and procedural changes risked slowing modernization work and cited the department's pace on grants and personnel. \"You are causing a traffic jam from freezing funding for projects to creating new hurdles by reevaluating grants that had already been approved,\" she said.

Operational and workforce steps

Duffy described pipeline changes to speed hiring: prioritizing top test scorers, reducing medical processing time by paying for quicker medical evaluations, and expanding academy throughput. He also said the FAA has a roughly 35% washout rate at the academy and that reducing it to about 25% through tutoring and counseling could materially increase graduation numbers.

On retention, Duffy said the department is offering a 20% bonus to experienced controllers to delay retirement and keep experienced staff on the job while the pipeline grows.

Technical modernization and procurement

Duffy repeatedly contrasted current legacy systems with modern alternatives and urged that some projects\u000especially telecom upgrades such as replacing copper with fiber\fould be sped up if Congress provided funds earlier and if permitting processes were streamlined. He warned that a multi-year, piecemeal approach had previously failed to deliver nationwide modernization.

Quotes from the record

- \"I want to build a system that's like the iPhone that we can continue to build upon as new technology becomes available,\" Secretary Sean Duffy.

- \"Will you work with the committee on the concept of having emergency funding that would cover the entire cost of this much needed replacement?\" Sen. Susan Collins.

- \"You are causing a traffic jam from freezing funding for projects to creating new hurdles by reevaluating grants that had already been approved,\" Sen. Patty Murray.

Outstanding details and next steps

Duffy said the full funding vehicle for a complete FAA modernization \"is not in this budget\" and urged Congress to consider providing the funds up front; several senators requested specific dollar estimates and timeframes and asked DOT to deliver written details for the committee. Duffy said he would provide additional materials and quarterly briefings if Congress endorsed the advanced-appropriations approach.

Ending note

Lawmakers from both parties expressed support for faster modernization and more FAA staffing but pressed for precise costs, schedules and assurances that changes in grant administration would not create operational gaps. The subcommittee gave DOT seven days to accept additional written questions for the record and asked for responses within 30 days.","Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy told the Senate Appropriations subcommittee the department needs upfront funding and faster procurement to modernize the air traffic control system, and outlined steps to increase controller hiring and retention while defending grant reviews and staffing changes.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senators press DOT on shipbuilding funding, ports and condition of Merchant Marine Academy

DOT reviews 3,200 awarded grants; senators press for faster obligation, clarity on removed requirements

DOT secretary urges rapid FAA modernization, outlines staffing and procurement steps