Committee presses nominee on IIJA delivery, NEPA assignment, Buy America and tribal roads

Committee members used the confirmation hearing to press the nominee on implementation, delivery and oversight of infrastructure programs funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and other statutes.

Senator Maria Cantwell asked whether Duffy would prioritize renewal of the Federal Highway Administration’s delegation of National Environmental Policy Act responsibilities to the Texas Department of Transportation; Duffy pledged to “take a look at the designation to Texas” and said he would “hope to reauthorize that designation.” Cantwell had noted that TxDOT’s delegation historically sped environmental reviews, citing an average environmental assessment completion time of about 17 months under the state arrangement.

Members repeatedly asked that funds already appropriated and awarded be delivered and used as intended. Duffy committed to working with senators “to make sure the money gets out the door to the projects that are underway.” Senators also sought transparency on discretionary grant ratings, including DOT staff reviews for awards to California High Speed Rail; Duffy said he would commit to sharing ratings with the committee.

Buy America enforcement was a recurring topic. Senator Tammy Baldwin said a recently finalized DOT rule would strengthen Buy America coverage for federal-aid highway projects and asked for Duffy’s pledge to enforce Buy America provisions; Duffy said he would “follow the law” and pledged to review existing waivers and rules. Senators also raised rural priorities — essential air service, short-line rail, port funding in the Great Lakes region and tribal transportation — asking the nominee to ensure smaller and remote communities can access technical assistance and federal capital.

Permitting reform and project-delivery processes also drew sustained attention. Several senators described long delays for projects that require multiple federal reviews and asked Duffy to work with the committee to speed permitting while maintaining environmental protections. Duffy said he would “work with this committee” on streamlining processes and to identify opportunities to shorten the time between planning and shovel-ready construction.

Senators emphasized that many of the matters raised are statutory or programmatic and asked Duffy to follow the law in implementation. The nominee’s pledges amount to commitments to review program operations and to work with members to improve delivery if confirmed.