Lowey Floor Remarks on H.R. 1158, National Security Appropriations Minibus
WASHINGTON — House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey today delivered the following remarks on the House Floor on H.R. 1158, a national security minibus of Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bills:
This national security appropriations minibus combines four bills:
- Defense
- Commerce-Justice-Science
- Financial Services and General Government, and
- Homeland Security.
I would like to highlight a few key successes that our Cardinals have secured:
- $7.6 billion – $1.4 billion more than President Trump proposed – to ensure a fair and accurate 2020 Census
- $425 million for election security grants to states, a key priority for Democrats for a program that was not funded last year
- Robust funding for initiatives to improve the quality of life of our women and men in uniform
- A 3.1 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees
Unfortunately, the President and Senate Republicans insisted on funding a wasteful border wall while simultaneously blocking Democratic policies that would make our immigration system more humane.
However, I am pleased that we have established an Immigration Detention Ombudsman, tasked with protecting the rights of individuals in DHS custody.
M. Speaker, this is not the bill I would have written on my own – but I am proud that we have been able to do so much good in this political environment.
I urge support.
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