Committee member presses secretary on rebuilding roads and bridges in Western North Carolina and Texas

A committee member asked the department secretary during a hearing how committed the department is to rebuilding roads and bridges in Western North Carolina and in areas of Texas hit by flooding. The committee member said the visit to Western North Carolina in early February showed “the destruction there,” and urged a focused response for rural communities that they said are often “forgotten.” The committee member said officials had worked “throughout government to make sure we can get rock that was closer to the roadway,” a step they said shortened reconstruction time and lowered costs, and cited Interstate 40 as “a critical artery.” The committee member asked directly: “how committed are you all to making sure that Western North Carolina and places like Texas that have just experienced flooding are rebuilt, in a smart way.” The secretary replied that Texas would not be forgotten and that the department is already providing technical assistance, adding, “with all of your help, we’re gonna provide resources to Texas, in regard to their infrastructure that was destroyed by the flooding.” The committee member also said, in a direct comment to the secretary, that “President Biden, and our former governor Roy Cooper absolutely abandoned Western North Carolina,” and said they were “grateful for this administration for what they’ve done on day 1.” No funding sources, timelines, specific programs or statutory authorities were identified during the exchange. The committee member yielded back at the end of the turn, and the hearing record shows no formal motion or vote related to the question. Why it matters: Roads and bridges are central to emergency response and economic activity in rural communities. Committee members flagged both the human impacts of storm damage and logistical steps such as sourcing rock closer to damaged roadways to speed rebuilding and reduce cost. The secretary’s statement that technical assistance is underway indicates agency involvement, but the department did not provide details in the hearing about what resources, schedules or funding would follow.