Democratic and Republican appropriators are planning to grill administration officials, including EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, on how they will be able to fulfill their agency missions amid the administration’s calls for sweeping cuts and reorganizations.
A spate of Appropriations committee hearings this week will be lawmakers’ first opportunity to get answers from some Cabinet members after President Donald Trump proposed slashing energy and environment programs that have broad bipartisan support.
Zeldin and other officials will be testifying about Trump’s fiscal 2026 budget request, which has drawn rebukes from both sides of the aisle, but those officials will also face questions about their own plans to restructure their departments and eliminate thousands of positions.
Appropriators are eager to begin drafting fiscal 2026 spending bills but are still awaiting a full budget request from the White House.
