Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy testified before a House subcommittee on Wednesday to discuss the 2026 fiscal year budget for the Department of Transportation. Duffy requested a $26.7 billion budget, a 5.8% increase from the previous year.

The majority of the hearing focused on the ongoing issues at Newark Liberty International Airport, including a shortage of air traffic controllers and frequent outages. During the hearing, Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a Democrat from New Jersey, raised concerns about Duffy diverting his wife’s flight from Newark to LaGuardia, suggesting it was due to safety concerns.

Duffy denied this, stating that the decision was made because his wife was in New York City and needed to attend an event. He clarified that her flight was not diverted for safety reasons, but rather for logistical purposes. Duffy also addressed a recent interview where he discussed these issues on a radio show, stating that his comments were taken out of context.

Newark has experienced three major technology outages in the past month, with reports of only three air traffic controllers working a shift that typically requires 14. Duffy reassured travelers that flights to and from the airport are safe, and the FAA is working on reducing flights to alleviate the strain on air traffic controllers. He also mentioned efforts to upgrade the airport’s infrastructure and replace aging systems that may have contributed to the outages.

During the hearing, Duffy also discussed the department’s efforts to reduce bureaucracy and reallocate savings to infrastructure projects. He stated that