the backlog is not delays because of environmental permits, NEPA processing, or lawsuits, just because we have not adequately funded these projects and because of staff constraints.

I think we've overlooked this for too long and we have to get into integrating engineering with nature upfront at the beginning.

We're going to wrap here in just a few minutes, but I do want to follow up on the question that Senator Boozman raised about sort of life cycle costs versus upfront costs and the relationship of that to building codes.

I did not know the role of DOE in sort of proving out those technologies.

I think you referred to it as green engineering, but it's often natural systems as infrastructure.

I think the real integrating factor is innovative and powered and creative leadership at the garrison level.

I think it's an important question to ask.

DOD's Building Code, the Unified Facilities Criteria or UFC needs to be updated regularly to ensure that we're not building facilities vulnerable to severe weather events.

I think it's something to be proud of that our services are helping to, you know, make that possible.

I am very pleased to introduce a native New Mexican to the Committee.

as we talk about replacing infrastructure, there are communities who have never had that infrastructure in the first place.

If confirmed, I just want to ask, will you work to make sure that the Navajo-Gallup pipeline stays on track moving forward?