During a House Budget Subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy engaged in a heated exchange with Democrats, particularly disputing claims regarding the departure of 400 air traffic controllers. He criticized climate and social justice initiatives supported by the Biden administration, suggesting these programs have diverted funds from essential projects. Duffy pointed to a 2023 Supreme Court decision from Harvard, asserting that policies from this era have driven up costs without necessarily enhancing safety or infrastructure quality.
“In the last 100 days, our department has saved taxpayers approximately $9.5 billion,” Duffy stated. “These savings included cuts to social justice-related projects. The environmental requirements just drain resources while also supposedly improving department efficiency.”
Rep. Jim Clyburn, a Democrat from South Carolina, expressed strong sentiments regarding Duffy’s stance, recalling his own experiences. “I had to walk 2.5 miles to school, witnessing social injustices firsthand. Are these government investments now seen as wasteful?” he questioned. “I believe they’re crucial for addressing the challenges our community faces.”
Duffy acknowledged Clyburn’s background, clarifying that his critique wasn’t aimed at the general concept of social justice. However, he emphasized that climate and social justice mandates tend to inflate project expenses, which ultimately impacts funding for other necessary projects.
The discussion became even more contentious when Duffy confronted Rep. Norma Torres from California, who accused the administration of endangering air travel safety due to the dismissal of controllers and delayed upgrades. Duffy firmly denied her claims about the layoffs, asserting, “No one in air traffic control has been let go. We haven’t fired 400 controllers, not even one!”
The hearing primarily addressed the transportation sector’s budget request for 2026, featuring an increase of 5.8% from the previous year. Duffy affirmed his commitment to eliminating unnecessary bureaucracy and re-investing the savings into crucial infrastructure projects.
“Our budget is focused on allocating taxpayer resources wisely, primarily towards safety and infrastructure investment,” he added.
In light of recent operational challenges at Newark Airport, Duffy criticized the previous administration for its handling of airspace management, particularly the flawed transfer of control from New York to Philadelphia, which he described as a failure to test essential systems properly.
“We’re moving quickly to address these issues,” he said, indicating that the FAA is collaborating with airlines to alleviate flight congestion.
