During a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing, Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) questioned Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy about his comments on New York City's subways and congestion pricing program.
00:00Thank you. Secretary Duffy, as recently as last week, you again attacked the MTA, claiming there's a surge in subway assaults and accusing the agency of withholding information.
00:12But many of your statements misrepresent the facts and ignore documentation already provided to your department.
00:18I want to address some of those claims directly.
00:21First, are you aware that major crime in the transit system, including assaults, is down 3% since last year and down 8% since 2019?
00:31That's a yes or no question.
00:33No, that's wrong. The assaults that we've seen are up 60% with MTA in the system since 2019.
00:40Why do you continue to ignore this and lie about this in your public comments?
00:43My question, why do you continue to lie about people being lit on fire in subways or pushed in front of trains?
00:48You should be fighting to make sure your subways are safe.
00:51You want people to ride subways? Let's make subways safe.
00:54Reclaiming my time. Our subways are safe, and I gave you the statistics.
00:59They're wrong.
00:59Second of all, you claimed earlier this year that there was no study of traffic impacts before the implementation of the Congestion Relief Program.
01:06Are you aware that in 2023, your office received a nearly 4,000-page environmental assessment that thoroughly analyzed traffic patterns, transit operations, and environmental impacts in detail?
01:19Are you aware that your governor did not want to move over with congestion pricing?
01:24Are you aware that you got that 4,000-page environmental assessment?
01:32That went to the last administration?
01:32Yes or no?
01:33To the last administration, they got it.
01:34You got it. If so, why do you continue to deny its existence?
01:39I haven't denied any existence.
01:40Okay. Secretary Duffy, as you know, your attempt to revoke the MTA...
01:43You're mischaracterizing what my complaint has been.
01:46Our roads are not for the elitists, the ones who have money or someone pays for their vehicle to drive into a cordoned area.
01:52I believe everyone has a right to use our roads.
01:54So you can't afford because of the poor.
01:57Why should you be excluded from driving into the city of New York?
01:59I'm claiming my time, Mr. Secretary.
02:02As you know, your attempt to revoke the MTA's congestion pricing approval came after the program had already undergone a full NEPA review and was formally cleared, formally cleared by the federal higher administration.
02:14Can you identify a single precedent under any Republican or Democratic administration for unilaterally rescinding approval of a program like this after it completed the full environmental review process?
02:25So the example is that you have never had a cordoned pricing situation like this.
02:31Oh, yes, there have been.
02:32What do you call the New Jersey Turnpike?
02:35There's a road right next to it.
02:37You can...
02:38Every road we have, you can take an additional road to access your destination.
02:42You're lying.
02:43Don't call me a liar here.
02:44I'm calling you a liar because you've lied continually.
02:47This is the one area where you have to pay $9 every single day to access Manhattan.
02:53That doesn't exist anywhere else.
02:55Every single program where you have tolled highways is under the same program.
03:00Why don't we fight for the people who can't afford to pay that pricing?
03:04Why shouldn't everyone have access to the city?
03:06And if you're going to force people into a subway, make sure it's safe.
