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Press Releases

June 29, 2017
Within this bill, while several items are funded at decent levels, there are a great many other items of serious concern. For instance, while the COPS program deceptively shows an increase of $12.5 million, resources and responsibilities have been shifted to create an illusion of robust funding all while eliminating the COPS Hiring Program.
June 29, 2017
I hope my predicted path for this bill and those that invest in the human and physical capital of this nation is overly pessimistic and that a consensus will be reached prior to the end of the fiscal year, allowing us to break free from this cycle of uncertainty.
June 29, 2017
The proposed spending bills shatter the existing Budget Control Act defense spending cap, triggering an automatic across-the-board cut of 13 percent to every defense account in this bill and others. Yet the majority pretends that this legal fact does not exist.
June 29, 2017
The Legislative Branch bill takes on added importance this year, given the tragic shooting at the Congressional baseball game. Our thoughts and prayers remain with Majority Whip Steve Scalise, and all those who were injured by this senseless violence. Members are rightfully concerned with ensuring our own safety, and that of our staffs and constituents.
June 29, 2017
Even a bill worthy of our support, as this one is, should be part of a coherent budget strategy. It doesn’t appear that the majority has one. In fact, according to the reporting, Republicans are further away from agreement on a budget this week than they were last week.
June 28, 2017

I'd like to thank Chairman Aderholt, Ranking Member Bishop, and Chairman Frelinghuysen for their work on this bill.

As we begin our fourth subcommittee markup, it is difficult to limit our discussion to how the Department of Agriculture, FDA, and CFTC are being shortchanged. After all, today's markup is occurring concurrently with the House Budget Committee again failing to advance a budget resolution.

June 28, 2017

Thank you for yielding Mr. Chairman.

As Chairman, you have always set a cooperative tone and I want to thank you for continuing to be inclusive as we work through this process. I believe the Chairman has worked very hard with very limited time and an even more limited allocation to get to this point. Though the President's draconian request gave me severe concerns about what this bill would look like, I am pleased that you've rejected so much of it outright.

June 28, 2017
The majority’s continued dysfunction jeopardizes this Committee’s ability to meet the significant challenges we face, including many that are attacked in the bill before us.
June 28, 2017
This bill funds incredibly important programs that can unlock America’s full economic and environmental potential. Unfortunately, to say the process by which this Congress is proceeding is in disarray would be understating where we find ourselves.
June 28, 2017
The FY 2018 Legislative Branch appropriations bill provides $3.58 billion (excluding Senate items).