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Thank you, Chairman Diaz-Balart and Ranking Member Pricefor holding this hearing. I would like to welcome Secretary Foxx before the Subcommittee today, and thank you for your service to the country.

Last fall, Republicans and Democrats joined together to pass abipartisan budget agreement that set the discretionary spending level for Fiscal Year 2017.

Unfortunately, some in the majority are intent on turning their backs on that agreement, further constraining your department’s ability to fully implement the initiatives contained in the recently passed surface transportation bill.

I know that Chairman Rogers is anxious to move the appropriations process forward through regular order agreement, which I support.

Today, our nation faces significant challenges to our transportation infrastructure.

Thank you, Chairman Diaz-Balart and Ranking Member Pricefor holding this hearing. I would like to welcome Secretary Foxx before the Subcommittee today, and thank you for your service to the country.

Last fall, Republicans and Democrats joined together to pass abipartisan budget agreement that set the discretionary spending level for Fiscal Year 2017.

Unfortunately, some in the majority are intent on turning their backs on that agreement, further constraining your department’s ability to fully implement the initiatives contained in the recently passed surface transportation bill.

I know that Chairman Rogers is anxious to move the appropriations process forward through regular order agreement, which I support.

Today, our nation faces significant challenges to our transportation infrastructure.

Thank you Chairman Crenshaw. I would like to join you in welcoming Shaun Donovan, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, to this hearing.

Today’s hearing serves a dual purpose. We will of course discuss OMB’s specific budget request for this year, and delve into the new initiatives that will help coordinate government-wide responses to pressing issues. But we will also delve into the budget request as a whole, and how OMB has helped put together a coherent and cohesive product that reflects our nation’s values and address its needs.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. This is our first subcommittee hearing of the year, and I look forward to working with you once again. We have a number of important hearings planned, including with some folks who our friends on the Budget Committee don’t feel like meeting with, so I look forward to moving forward with our process.

Today, I would also like to welcome Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen back before the subcommittee. He took over the helm of the Internal Revenue Service during a very tumultuous time in agency’s history, and I believe he has done a strong job of righting the ship and making sure that the employees there are focused on their mission.

Assistant Secretary Brownfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary Palmieri, and Acting Assistant Administrator Hogan, I join Chairwoman Granger in welcoming you today.

The news is often dominated by the devastating war in Syria and the resulting refugee crisis engulfing the Middle East and much of Europe. At the same time, but with less attention, we face another deplorable humanitarian tragedy in our own hemisphere.

Horrific levels of violence, abject poverty, and weak government institutions plague the countries of Central America. Half of the populations live in poverty, and 30-40 percent is underemployed. Last year, El Salvador surpassed Honduras with the world’s highest homicide rate - a 70% increase over 2014 levels - and has the highest concentration of gang members per capita in the region.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and good morning, Chairman Burns and Commissioners Svinicki, Ostendorff, and Baran. Thank you for being here today to talk about the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s 2017 budget.

Nuclear energy is critical component of our nation’s energy mix. As a source of electricity which does not contribute to climate change, it will be particularly important as we strive to meet the targets of the Clean Power Plan and to deliver on the commitments we made to reduce our carbon emissions at COP 21 in Paris.

As part of meeting these targets, we currently rely on an aging fleet of nuclear power generation facilities—with an average age of 35 years, many have already outlived their initial 40 year licenses while others are quickly approaching it.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on President Obama’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget request.

“President Obama’s final budget request of his presidency lays out a fiscally responsible framework to grow our economy and invest in critical priorities that will help hardworking Americans.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement regarding the Administration’s emergency supplemental funding request to fight the Zika virus:

“We have all watched with great and increasing concern as the Zika virus has spread across the Americas and into the United States. Given Zika’s impact on American citizens in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and its likely link to fetal abnormalities if contracted by pregnant women, a full and aggressive federal response is necessary.

“I will examine the request closely and work with Republicans and Democrats to ensure our public health agencies and multilateral organizations have the resources they need to halt Zika’s spread and treat those affected.