John Garamendi

Mr. Secretary, will you commit to review and modify the Federal Highway Administration's 1983 nationwide waiver exempting all 'manufactured products' from 'Buy America' requirements?

We will continue to do that. So we would expect that in your role as Secretary you will make sure that American taxpayer money is spent here in America.

So, yes, we are going to be looking at this all the way through.

I've got to tell you how thrilled I was on the fifth day in office when President Biden issued an Executive order that American taxpayer money would be used to buy American-made goods and services.

You really are on top of all of these issues.

If we cannot provide flood insurance for agriculture in all of its various ways, then you are simply going to drive agriculture out of the flood plain.

Perhaps you ought to come to the Sacramento Valley and take a look at what you just described.

Thank you for last year's WRDA. We are going to have a big task this year monitoring the implementation.

I will be interested in having that information.

I don't want to have another F-35 fiasco.

Whatever those ships are, if we are going to maintain, if we are going to hang on to the cruisers, somebody is going to maintain them, and this committee is going to be responsible for that maintenance.

The F-35 is a huge problem, and one of the principal problems is that we buy more planes.

We are going to work very closely with the acquisition committees, including the appropriations, to deal with the ongoing problem.

Clark Realty Capital and its subsidiaries seems to be lagging in implementation of the tenant's bill of rights when compared to other housing partners. Why have you been unable to implement these reforms in a timely fashion?

In your letter declining to participate in the hearing, you eluded to your unique structure and how it would preclude you for being able to adequately prepare for the hearing.

Can you explain your understanding of when state law applies to military family housing and when the federal enclave doctrine precludes its application?

What quality assurance measures do have you in place at installations for maintenance staff, customer service, and property management staff?

What do you need from the Department of Defense to implement the window fall retrofit requirement contained in the FY20 NDAA?

At the hearing, you stated that state law applies to privatized military housing. However, we have heard from tenants that they are often told that state law does not apply because of the federal enclave doctrine.

Ms. Speier has committed to go back to Fort Hood. Maybe she will invite me to go with her.

I believe we have run through this. I have committed 2 years ago to stay with this.

I want to make sure that the base commanders are held responsible for the well-being of all of the personnel on their base.

Military families deserve quality housing and they deserve responsive property management.

We have been talking about a national maritime strategy using the Jones Act fleet to support the military in a way that has not been done for 70 years.

I will be looking forward to the detail behind that statement and, also, how we would provide that sealift.