[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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],{"_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",6460799,"mediaKeyId","5827592-5a925d022d0e509ff4019dd7dfe2c485","parentId",5827592,"title","Committee confirms Brad Belzak as alternate board member for Washington Metro Rail Safety Commission","audioSeconds",280,"startMs",412880,"endMs",692970,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5827592-5a925d022d0e509ff4019dd7dfe2c485&start=412&end=692","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5827592-5a925d022d0e509ff4019dd7dfe2c485/thumbnail_412880.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6460799/Committee-confirms-Brad-Belzak-as-alternate-board-member-for-Washington-Metro-Rail-Safety-Commission","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6460799-61b800fd77965d7a661acc48f0b21ed5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141135&Signature=QRedHc1qodvi1VfzSD5fwvrMLWRDJcvr~7GsnMrRJBSgrr-uDUc23YhVY8SOdWLUWCmzdTbqp2xNzmYnctsH9aC8d51qXlnfR2LwIoAXYAB4ppq-tN2nZW5I25AsPRJTILewsaH7jPRT~RI2VZOE0Kv9YCfagevBXVI-KFdyLQNxOfHj3Lem03HHdJrxv3LnoyH0DjvEi6Wo7r9Uhi~SaO6LKgBWZCzXoQweVAuvQ0CjaYZRsOtaOlPKc9mY~5E9q3vz3FxSHH~VNJWy9jaDP3~I9Lg25Xqyhie14vuH396P9nxYOALvUQR7PAV~kyOD43NLU3aQa2hE5oWALODNMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","District of Columbia (Transportation and the Environment)","date","2025-09-25T00:00:00Z","article","The Committee on Transportation and the Environment voted unanimously Thursday, Sept. 25, to approve PR 26-227, the confirmation resolution appointing Brad Belzak as an alternate member of the Washington Metro Rail Safety Commission for a term ending Feb. 9, 2029.

Chairman Charles Allen described Belzak as a security professional with more than 22 years of experience in senior management, policy development and operational leadership across federal agencies, the private sector and international work. Allen said Belzak most recently served as senior vice president and chief of staff at the Export-Import Bank of the United States, overseeing day-to-day operations for a 550-person workforce, an operating budget of about $140 million and a loan portfolio of about $135 billion.

Allen told the committee he met with the nominee on Sept. 16 along with committee staff and a member of the Mayor's Office of Talent and Appointments. The committee did not hold a formal roundtable on the nomination. Allen recommended that the committee confirm the nominee: “I recommend that Mr. Belzak's nomination to the commission be confirmed.”

The committee's report summarized Belzak's federal experience, including roles at the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security, and noted his work on air-traffic safety issues with the Biden administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The report said Belzak holds a Master of Science in security and resiliency from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Elon University; he is also a certified fraud examiner and a Ward 2 resident.

The Washington Metro Rail Safety Commission was created through an interstate compact among the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia and established in the District by the Washington Metro Rail Safety Commission Establishment Act of 2016. Congress granted consent in 2017, and the Federal Transit Administration certified the commission in March 2019 to assume direct oversight responsibility for Metrorail. The commission is governed by a six-member board with two members and one alternate appointed by each jurisdiction. PR 26-227 was introduced June 13, 2025, at the request of the mayor and referred to the committee on June 17, 2025.

The committee approved and released the committee report and committee print for PR 26-227 with staff directed to make technical editorial and conforming changes; the transcript records a unanimous voice vote in favor and records the outcome as unanimous approval.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","District of Columbia (Transportation and the Environment) - Committee on Transportation & the Environment, (Add'l) Committee Meeting, Charles Allen, Chairperson","oneSentenceSummary","The Committee on Transportation and the Environment unanimously approved PR 26-227 to appoint Brad Belzak as an alternate member of the Washington Metro Rail Safety Commission for a term ending Feb. 9, 2029; committee found the nominee highly qualified based on homeland security and transportation-safety experience.","taxTitle","Committee on Transportation and the Environment, Committees, Legislative, District of Columbia","taxId",15954,"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},6460803,"Committee approves creation of Youth Advisory Council on Climate Change and Environmental Conservation",385,24650,410020,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5827592-5a925d022d0e509ff4019dd7dfe2c485&start=24&end=410","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5827592-5a925d022d0e509ff4019dd7dfe2c485/thumbnail_24650.jpg","/articles/6460803/Committee-approves-creation-of-Youth-Advisory-Council-on-Climate-Change-and-Environmental-Conservation","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6460803-3559ab6d9b34c7576c1284a4d9b47d79/orig.mp4?Expires=1771141135&Signature=g00OWmblrnqzXkeGX8oJLvS6~XiHyTYLMa929yE~cNxlZ~Fk5923HoSR~v4o7gP9Pj9yan7dR2ZWtDdnIXtKxt0WyrSVQyD6BRcLoIsGjy19GgY6iyjP1zf5Wjy2fYpnqHqaZHofvBqWAWd1yADClopsK2b~4ziQgz-4edo57B5HEIZQ~HmL8nJRJxgkvom0VxwKzalEJuidsvEqL4SOWwcsqHv0IRZjBGVvxCzBgmre99mnlZHIyo-jFWgJGzdgbQrz-6WEuyFfypmDZx9i9LtGTx39zDuH~Ic1bZkLuAjQMNjOZ7EDYeLTBdQASumUEO~zE6nJMxv7LFG44Ix3kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Committee on Transportation and the Environment advanced Bill 26-66, the Youth Advisory Council on Climate Change and Environmental Conservation Establishment Act of 2025, at an additional meeting Thursday, Sept. 25, approving the committee report and committee print with direction for staff to make technical editorial and conforming changes.

Chairman and Ward 6 Councilmember Charles Allen said the bill would give young residents a formal advisory role on district climate and environmental policy and on green workforce development. “Young people are not just tomorrow's leaders, they are already today's advocates, and they deserve a seat at the tables where the district's climate and environmental policies are determined,” Allen said.

The bill would create a Youth Climate Council (YCC) of 17 members: nine appointed by the mayor and eight appointed by each ward councilmember. Fourteen seats would be reserved for high school students enrolled in public, public charter or independent schools operating in the District; three seats would be reserved for 18- to 21-year-olds, who need not be enrolled in a school or college in the District. The YCC would advise the mayor, the Council, the Department of Energy and Environment (DOE), the Commission on Climate Change and Resiliency and other entities, propose initiatives, publish findings and recommendations, and appear before the committee once per year.

The bill requires DOE to provide training to YCC members on the District’s climate and environmental policy landscape so the council’s recommendations are informed by existing policy. The measure also allows members to receive a modest stipend; the bill text does not specify a dollar amount.

Councilor Christina Henderson questioned whether 17 members would be an effective size for a working advisory body. “The only thing I wanted to, mention here just on the record is the size of this particular group. . . . How did you come to the number of 17 as the appropriate number just to make sure that this group, number one, is able to meet quorum, but two, is actually able to execute on the things that we have outlined for them to do?” Henderson asked. Allen said the composition was chosen so every ward could have representation (eight ward-appointed seats) and the mayor would appoint one more than the Council’s total, yielding nine mayoral appointees for a total of 17.

Allen said the committee worked with high school and college students, youth leaders and youth-serving nonprofits while drafting the bill and that the measure was designed to be inclusive of young people from communities most affected by climate and environmental inequities, specifically Wards 5, 7 and 8. The committee’s action was limited to approving the committee report and print for the bill and directing staff to make technical edits; the measure will move to the full Council for further consideration.

There was no recorded roll-call vote in the committee transcript for the bill; the committee approved the measure by voice vote with the chair making the motion and calling for the ayes, and no oppositions were recorded in the meeting transcript.","The Council's Committee on Transportation and the Environment advanced Bill 26-66 to establish a 17-member Youth Climate Council to advise the mayor, the Council, and city agencies on climate, conservation and green workforce development; the committee approved the measure with staff to make technical edits.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee confirms Brad Belzak as alternate board member for Washington Metro Rail Safety Commission

Committee approves creation of Youth Advisory Council on Climate Change and Environmental Conservation