I actually wanted to greet the administrator with the notation that I am a former EPA Office of Toxic Substances employee.

I am a strong supporter of the Clean Energy Payment Program.

Offshore wind can play a key role in accomplishing our clean energy and climate ambitions.

But that's a key component of the CSB's mission, and preventing future incidents has to remain a top priority.

I think CSB has an important role to play.

There is a national interest in getting these projects built, and I think that is on us.

I think the planet will be way better off the sooner we realize that, and I appreciate that.

I think your bill does that very thing.

I introduced a bill to clarify FERC's backstop citing authority for more interstate transmission projects, the POWER ON Act, that would accelerate the buildout of clean energy, increase our reliability, lower the cost of electricity.

I introduced the POWER ON Act to clarify the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's backstop siting authority for interstate transmission projects.

Electric transmission, as you said, is often overlooked, yet it's an essential component to addressing the climate crisis.

I do support this budget request in terms of the topline.

It is interesting that the military, and I agree with my colleague from Iowa, about innovation in the military.

I share the concern that Mr. Horsford expressed earlier about MQ-9s and MQ-4s.

I want to commend Mayor Todd Gloria and County Board of Supervisors Chairman Nathan Fletcher for their leadership in opening our community to those children seeking asylum.

There's a little irony here that some of our colleagues on the Republican side are expressing concern about how the Biden administration is caring for these children.

you have been one of the more direct, responsive, and educational witnesses that we've had.

The goal is to move these children out of them and put them into beds in a licensed facility.

I certainly share the frustration of Dr. Burgess that we are not all together in person, unmasked, which I believe we could be, if we were all vaccinated.

I know that--I think the--every Democrat is vaccinated. I am sad to say that every Republican is not.

I think it may be in some ways pretty useful, but I really am anxious to get back to work with everybody in person without masks in the committee room.

We are on the front lines of the climate crisis, and for many people in California and many Americans, climate stress is often felt as water stress.

Even a modest carbon price is essential. It would reduce the cost of decarbonization, generate billions in new revenue.

I think that there is no reason not to adjust our understanding of 'act of God' defense to reflect that.

I think we should apply that principle, by the way, to other environmental challenges, like putting a price on carbon to address climate change.