Salud Ortiz Carbajal

I commend both of your leaderships on efforts to make the maritime industry a safe and desirable workplace for all.

Thank you, Chair Webster, for scheduling today's hearing on the ``Review of Fiscal Year 2024 Administration Budget Request for Federal Maritime Transportation Programs and Implementation of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022''.

I am proud to say that since the passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, vessel congestion at ports has decreased dramatically.

I look forward to working with you and finding as much common ground on a bipartisan basis as possible.

I want to remind us it passed in a bipartisan fashion.

I am happy to see that MARAD is prioritizing protecting whales from the impacts of vessels.

These technologies are crucial for reducing harmful emissions that protect the environment, especially for port communities where air pollution is statistically worse.

When we invest in renewable energy like electrification at ports, it creates jobs and adds resilience to disruptions that can occur with traditional fossil fuels.

Building out potential port infrastructure to receive and transmit this energy, as well as creating laydown space for shoreside wind turbine staging and operations is of critical importance and will require a significant investment.

There needs to be new development and infrastructure of landside facilities like the Morro Bay project in my district if we are to meet President Biden's 2030 decarbonization goals.

I look forward to hearing from Chair Maffei of the Federal Maritime Commission, or FMC, and Administrator Phillips of the Maritime Administration, or MARAD, on the President's budget request and their agencies' priorities for the upcoming…

Stability in international shipping is integral to a strong economy.

What is the potential impact of PIDP-funded projects on offshore wind deployment?

I am proud to have played a role in the passage of the sweeping legislation included in the NDAA last year addressing sexual assault and sexual harassment in the commercial maritime industry, as well as the Merchant Marine Academy.

It is important that the FMC is sufficiently funded so that it can properly carry out these reforms.

I agree with you that strengthening partnerships to help partner democracies deliver for their population is imperative in helping counter the PRC's influence.

Thank you for your leadership and service to our country.

Thank you for your leadership, your mentorship, and your service to our country.

Global peace is always tenuous.

I appreciated the bipartisan collaboration that we developed to do our subcommittee's work.

This institution will miss him and I will miss his friendship.

I was glad to support the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and our workers. This legislation was a jobs bill.

Congress just passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which I am sure you are aware of, to not only reduce energy and healthcare costs, but also to fight climate change.

The climate crisis is creating a serious threat to our jobs, our income, and focusing on better prediction of these weather events.

Thank you for your and your members' work during the COVID-19 pandemic.