that wasn't the purpose of nepa. we are killing ourselves as a nation with our inability to build infrastructure because we're tangled up in red tape. in his recent reporting, the progressive "new york times" writer ezra klein looks at the cost of building things in america relative to other countries. japan, canada and germany build a kilometer for $254 million to $287 million, which seems like a lot until you get to the united states. one kilometer costs $538 million. may more than any other industrialized country. the laser costs. and it is -- this is a study several years ago. i'm sure it's worse now. a new highway construction project, just to build a highway normally takes nine to 19 years. come on, america. we built the alcan highway in 11 years and 121 months. mr. president, this is a topic i'm passionate about. it sounds kind of geeky, this is the core of what is keeping so many working families down. let me give you a couple of other examples. the new, not new now, the recently expanded runway at the seattl

so the nepa is very broad there. this is very close to where it enters the sea. and her son is on the north side of the nepa and the supplies they're coming from crimea that is south. so all the supplies will have to cross this river. and there's only this one bridge near here on the next possibility to cross the river. is a damn near nova hoffa is also one of the regions where ukraine has a fired quite a few messiahs, but not rightly at the damn. that would of course be possibly dangerous. so there's basically one place at the whole line among hundreds of kilometers left. whereas convoys can cross the river. so this is a significant blow to the russian defense of these occupy terry trees, the latest stair on the developments in ukraine, from the w. spontaneous building reporting from odessa. thank you very much. let's take a look now at some other stories from around the world. a powerful earthquake has hit the northern philippines, killing at least 4 people and injuring doesn't. major tremors, damage buildings in the province of opera, and forced evacuations. i

on pages for nepa. these are commonsense reforms. we got them in the law. okay. that's pretty good. bipartisan, the president hailed this as one of his big signature achievements. i voted for it in part because of nepa reforms, because of permitting reforms. so what am i upset about? about four months ago the biden administration's counsel on environmental quality not only revised the trump-era executive order on permitting, which the average american, democrat, republican, thought was good, they actually undertook new regulations for nepa that are clearly, clearly intended to make it harder to permit infrastructure projects, particularly energy infrastructure projects. just ask anyone. go look at the regs. go look at what they put out. what i find remarkable is that the president let this come out of his white house. he is supposedly mr. infrastructure, mr. building trades, mr. joe six-pack union guy. this is a product of the radical elite coastal democrat special interests that's going to make it hard

if you are going to streamline nepa, it sets nepa's hair on fire. and putting alerts out and it is interesting that the sierra club was going to study the text a little bit more even though we are passing this on suspension. these republican solution are crucial to repairing our crumbling infrastructure and water projects needed to make our western communities resilient and developing resources to secure our supply chain. in response, democrats have repeatedly told us we were gutting bedrock environmental laws and we support pimaging the land from sea to shining sea. just yesterday, i spent 10 hours in a natural resources committee markup where they advanced a bill, not only debated it and marked it up and advanced it a bill to expand nepa d.m. anand: handcuff our great nation from future development. now, today, after years of committee republican hearings after hearing we are trying to destroy america, suddenly the sideboards on frivolous litigation are necessary to build semiconductor plants and america's future. this bill is only part of the sol

o'toole, i've done a lot of work on nepa reform. policy reforms in the nepa space because i agree with you, these are essential to making sure we can do what we need to do. as i've engaged in that effort, it's become apparent that some members of congress resist changes to nepa. and the responses are usually kind of interesting. they include some variation of the argument that, you know, we don't need to do this because the agencies already have authority to do this through their own existing rulemaking procedures. it's an interesting argument to make because regardless of what they've got in mind and regardless of the fact that they may have tools at their disposal to do it, they don't. because things don't change in this regard. i think in many instances, they're debilitated by a fear of litigation and that obsessive fear of litigation will understandable, makes it very, very unlikely that they impose these limitations on themselves. what do you believe congress needs to do to break the logjam, with regard to nepa? >> thank you si

changes in nepa process are disturbing to us. we need to get things done and i've said it over and over. if it the process is not user-friendly as it could be. i will use a perfect example the national fishery is a duplicative agency that is working sometimes at odds with the fish and wildlife service because there is fish only end when you are looking particularly in today's world you have words and you have fish and other mammals and farmers in that whole system when it isn't working smoothly is taking hundreds of thousands of acres out of production because of his regulatory process. >> what would need to be changed to be able to make that work better? >> senator barrasso is no longer here but please been three years working on a process with conservation groups. we didn't get it done. we have got to have a system that works in right now we have so much duplication and to some extent part of what i like to talk about is are we doing solutions are a redoing agendas so we have to figure out the solutions and overcome the agendas

if you were here last night, you know that a nepa streamlining bill, a senate nepa streamlining bill was parachuted in at the last minute. it was put on the suspension lendar, and hope this bill series.during the next voting but we should beoing nepa revisions through hearings and through markups and through regular order. and if it takes getting one dropped in on the suspension calendar by the senate, i guess we'll have to take what we've got. but it would be nice if we could actually debate these and come up with more nepa streamlining. in the midst of historic drought conditions and what is on track to be the most devastating wildfire season on record, we simply cannot afford to confuse motion with action. i strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to reject this partisan package and instead work together on real solutions to prevent wildfires. reserve the balance of my time. the chair: the gentleman from arkansas reserves. the gentlemanrom colorado is recognized. mr. nuse: madam chair, let me ju say this. the gentleman is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own

fta over the years has created more than one type of categorical exclusion under nepa.m a strong supporter of the environment, i know you are, but a categorical exclusion should be simple and easy to apply, particularly for transit projects that, almost by definition, help the environment. these agencies face challenges with uniform relocation act and appraisal requirements. these issues are more challenging, pretty obviously, for small and medium sized agencies. thank you for looking at these issues. can fda please keep working to find solutions to help these agencies and any other projects that face similar challenges? >> yes, mister chairman, we certainly can. and have made ourselves available through our regional offices, to work very closely with grantees as they are considering building new systems, extending existing systems and going through the nepa process. we also offer free courses through the national transit institute. but, as you stated, there are a lot of challenges, particularly for the small operators. and we will continue, through our regional offices

i can give that that chimney these of your school for either jose cham ccf, nepa, dumble articles or about the media puzzle. meaning it, or do people of the most of the as you know by james or not me, jones, but also my location, the door to pretty, which impressed the a to be a p, a t h 2 h skis, the rest you that daughter beach that's at least um no gam, by the ugly, that's ace. ah she she, j o e a g b kitchen says him or doran yaki somers and exhibit to pre danger more to run or push on crow. mr. should have if you wanted to run mission of them that i wanna hear still say i could put a hooky was a visa, barnes you in now to have one car which is actually cable because i was using yeah, toby, will she going to run your dog they must with she got out of good, good lord. okay, i'm not to let you still go to left. you a bunch of brick. bravo. i'm sure yours, america should perform a job. these you brought the enough room to few christian federal bleachers while ago bobo played this missouri as much as we mean for on us. national is my sure middleton happens to ah, from an address my e

jose cham sissy at nepa dumble. so the fusion of both if menia brussel, meaning it or the loop of damage to the, as you know by james or not me, jones, but also my will choose it or to produce watching, press the up to be at the a, t h 2 h skis, the rest you got dora beach that's at least um no gam, by the ugly. it's as ice. ah see, earliest the j o e g b kitchen says him are dirani yaki some was an exhibit to prevent from or to run or push on crow. mr. should have if you were to do, she should have them is that i was used also key for hockey. was a visa, born ga, in that head of one car, which is our secure. okay. so she's in, yeah. probably will she go to run your dog? they must with this, i think up, i live to good or so please do not to let you still go to lecture. bunch of bravo, i'm sure yours. i should book on my job. these you brought the enough room to few question, federal pictures. i'll go with bobo grade. this missouri as much as me mean for on us. nasa. michelle isn't i shook middleton fmc. aah! from an

these are your school for the whole day. cham ccf, nepa dumble. sort of who's hon. dish media brussel. meaning it older lou, beef up almost the as you know by james own of me jones. i but also my will choose it or to produce watching. press the up to be at the a t at your age skis. the rest you got dora beach. that's at least um no gam, by the ugly. it's as ice ah too early she j o e g b kiss or says him or dirani. ah yes. some was an exhibit to prevent from or to run or push on crow. mr. should have if you were to to run it, she shut them as i was used also for who was with lisa bernstein in that head of one car which is are secured. well okay, so she's in yeah, probably will she go to run your dog? they must with this, i think up, i live to good or spoke with him not to let you still go to left his bundle. bravo, i'm sure you are. how should perform a job? these you brought the enough room to few queer shoot pictures. i'll go a bobo grade. this missouri as much as me mean for on us. nasa. michelle isn't i should middleton fmc? ah, from an addres

victory glory to the naval forces of the armed forces forces of ukraine this is a story about the steel nepahardened in the sacred fire this is my story cool sweat and hot tears in the heart that remains alive about the soul that was born a free story of my earth where a new destiny of an unbreakable country is forged metal in my hands and in my bodies enemies in golos that promises us victory together we make this world stronger july 17 the day of steel people we will overcome we will resettle we will win and that you are not news together we are strong to all ukrainians congratulations to all those who are with us in these minutes of the hour let's start our company maksym zborovskyi i'm olesya nitsevich and we're starting with such a shelter that is located near the site of the rocket attack in vinnytsia and is in a terrible condition. the deputy head of the president's office kyrylo tymoshenko told about this after a visit to the city, he expressed hope that the situation in vinnytsia will improve in the near future, indeed we uh, we went through several locations and looked at shelter o

in other developments, ukrainian artillery have struck a bridge crossing the nepa river in there has on region, which is a part of a crucial supply room full russian forces. can you give us more details on that? yeah, it's not only a crucial supply road, it's the main supply road. so the nip is very broad there. this is very close to where it enters the sea and her son is on the north side of the deeper and the supplies they're coming from crimea that is south. so all the supplies will have to cross this river. and there's only this one bridge near here on the next possibility to cross the river is a damn near nova hoffa is also one of the regions where ukraine has a fired quite a few messiahs, but not rightly at the damn. that would of course be a possibly dangerous. so there's basically one place at the whole line among hundreds of kilometers left where russian convoys can cross the river. so this is a significant blow to the russian defense of these occupy terry trees, the latest stair on the developments in ukraine from the w, spontaneous building reporting from odessa. thank you

fta over the years has created more than one type of categorical exclusion under nepa.a strong supporter of the environment, i know you are, but a categorical exclusion should be simple and easy to apply, particularly for transit projects that, almost by definition, help the environment. these agencies face challenges with uniform relocation act and appraisal requirements. these issues are more challenging, pretty obviously, for small and medium sized agencies. thank you for looking at these issues. can fda please keep working to find solutions to help these agencies and any other projects that face similar challenges? >> yes, mister chairman, we certainly can. and have made ourselves available through our regional offices, to work very closely with grantees as they are considering building new systems, extending existing systems and going through the nepa process. we also offer free courses through the national transit institute. but, as you stated, there are a lot of challenges, particularly for the small operators. and we will continue, through our regional offices,

as you know, this administration has reversed those efforts as it relates to nepa. i'm curious, how do we reconcile the immediate need for big infrastructure projects with the administration's efforts to prolong and really delay important projects. you know, time is money and there are a number of us that feel like those nepa reforms were very much needed and very helpful, had they've been allowed to be implemented fully rather than being reversed. >> we think we can deliver projects promptly and swiftly without swirling environmental or other concerns at the window. we are committed to finding ways to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible. bipartisan infrastructure law provides a lot of the terms for doing that, including a short clock on a process that we met within 60 days on categorical solutions, as well as things that are going to be more long term in terms of measures to make the process easier to navigate or simpler in some white. i want to point out that on our transportation, certainly our federal highway programs, 90% of them fall under a cat

as you know, this administration has reversed those efforts as it relates to nepa.'m curious, how do we reconcile the immediate need for big infrastructure projects with the administration's efforts to prolong and really delay important projects. you know, time is money and there are a number of us that feel like those nepa reforms were very much needed and very helpful, had they've been allowed to be implemented fully rather than being reversed. >> we think we can deliver projects promptly and swiftly without swirling environmental or other concerns at the window. we are committed to finding ways to make sure the process goes as smoothly as possible. bipartisan infrastructure law provides a lot of the terms for doing that, including a short clock on a process that we met within 60 days on categorical solutions, as well as things that are going to be more long term in terms of measures to make the process easier to navigate or simpler in some white. i want to point out that on our transportation, certainly our federal highway programs, 90% of them fall under a categ

issuing necessary authorizations, all necessary authorizations, within 90 days of completing nepa.p a performs accountability system to track progress toward our goals and reporting to this committee regularly on the timelines of both the eis and the environmental assessments and categorical exclusions. as well as working with other agencies to ensure that those categorical exclusions are as efficiently managed as possible. so, we'll continue our work on this and, through the permitting dashboard, aim to be as transparent as possible about how we are actually tracking towards those goals. >> we would appreciate that. it could make a huge difference, thank you. second question i have. and congressman stalwart touched on it a bit. concerned about the batteries, concerned about the environmental aspects of the batteries. and i'm concerned that so much of it is controlled by china, so much is controlled in the congo, it is virtual slave labor. we say as americans that we are humane and humanity we care about life. yet, we buy so many products from a country that absolutely has no conce