Donald Payne Jr.

I commend the Biden administration for taking bold steps to ensuring diversity and inclusion.

I have been a longstanding advocate of the DOT's Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, which facilitates the success of women- and minority-owned businesses throughout the transportation sector.

It is deeply troubling to hear that your company did not receive fair consideration for a project because there was no minority participation goal.

One of my priorities in examining racial discrimination in the Federal passenger rail contracting space is ensuring that minority men- and women-owned businesses have opportunities to build capacity and grow as large as multinational…

Thank you, sir, for that compelling testimony.

I commend the chair for holding the hearing today.

Some uncomfortable conversations need to be had to bring about a positive result.

Imagine my surprise when I found out that there was no DBE program at the FRA.

This is about leveling the playing field and everyone having the opportunity to compete in this great Nation.

I know that when companies conspire against a supplier to shut out the only minority firm manufacturing a particular product, you are being discriminated against.

No business should have the door closed on them before they can prove that they deserve a seat at the table.

The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack was a stark reminder that cyber attacks on critical infrastructure can have physical real-world consequences.

I introduced the Homeland Security For Children Act, which passed the House unanimously in July.

It is a great opportunity at this point in time to try to attempt to change the culture that has existed.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for holding this timely hearing, and also the ranking member.

Full implementation of these requirements is essential to creating a safety culture at the FAA.

I authored that legislation, so I am very proud of that, and also shepherded in the FirstNet operation here at DHS.

It is just a failure on our part--all of us here in these positions that that has not happened.

Ferries are vital to our efforts to combat climate change and should be incorporated in our infrastructure modernization plans.

The only way to end the pandemic is for more Americans to become fully vaccinated.

I think vaccination is a really important part of getting us through this, and I hope that more and more people understand that as we continue to bring back our economy, and as more people get vaccinated, more of the world is going to open…

As everyone has mentioned, we are not going to get that diversity, equity, and inclusion within the airline industry and the aerospace industry if we do not increase the financial aid.

Why can't we do it? If we have known--I have been talking about the topic since the Chairwoman has arrived here in Congress, she has talked about it, the Chairman has been on the committee since it started, what is the hold-up in bringing…

I am pleased to see the push to recruit pilot candidates that are diverse from underserved communities.

The Trump administration's abuse of DHS authority over the last 4 years hurt the Department's reputation and disseminated--decimated, actually the public trust in DHS actions.