Press Releases
Congressman Harold Rogers (R-KY) and Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) today sent the following letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Shaun Donovan and National Security Advisor Susan Rice requesting details on the Administration's response to the emerging public health crisis in Africa:
Dear Ambassador Rice and Director Donovan:
The President has announced that the United States Government has initiated a government–wide response to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa to address this serious public health event that is killing thousands of victims, expanding exponentially, and could disrupt the functioning and governance of the affected countries.
The Committee is prepared to respond and assist in these efforts as necessary. We recognize that we need to act quickly to avoid a potential global health security crisis.
WASHINGTON, DC—The Democratic members of the House of Representatives Labor-Health and Human Services (HHS)-Education Appropriations Subcommittee today unveiled their Fiscal Year 2015 spending bill. For the second consecutive year, Republicans who control the committee refused to even bring a bill before the subcommittee for a vote, the only appropriations bill to have that distinction.
“The majority’s inadequate proposal in response to the humanitarian crisis at our borders is unacceptable and would guarantee another emergency in September, raising the prospect of government shutdown.
“Republicans fail to provide what is needed to equip border security, judicial, and human services personnel to address this crisis immediately. Yet, they propose making rash, ill-considered, and divisive changes to longstanding immigration law after refusing for over a year to debate bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform, which could have helped prevent the crisis we currently face.
I thank Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member Moran for your work on this bill. Chairman Calvert, congratulations on introducing your first appropriations bill and for following the Committee tradition of consulting the minority even if the outcome is not something we can support at this time. This is the last Interior and Environment Full Committee markup for Mr. Moran. I am sorry to see him go and wish him success in all his future endeavors. We are losing a true stalwart for the environment.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
My working relationship with Chairman Calvert has been first-rate. He has carried out his duties in an open and collaborative manner. I have enjoyed working with him and appreciate the cooperation exhibited by Chairman Calvert and the subcommittee staff (Dave, Darren, Jason, Rachelle, Colin, and Jackie) as we have worked to address some of the important issues facing not only our nation but our planet.
I am saddened to have to rise in opposition to this legislation today. As a long-time appropriator, I remember the days when we were always able to come together to determine the funding levels for our government in a bipartisan manner and with little partisan warfare. Unfortunately, this bill is not a product of those times.
I thank Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member Moran for your work on this bill. Chairman Calvert, congratulations on introducing your first bill and for following the Committee tradition of consulting the minority even if the outcome is not something we can support at this time. During this last Interior and Environment Subcommittee markup for Mr. Moran, I am sorry to see him go and wish him success in all his future endeavors. We are losing a true stalwart for the environment.
Of the eleven FY15 bills that have been released, this is perhaps the worst. Even though the allocation, $162 million more than the current level, was sufficient to produce a legitimate bill, the Majority squandered these additional resources.
Thank you Mr. Chairman.
Let me start off by saying that you have done a great job since assuming the chair from our colleague, Mike Simpson. I have enjoyed working with you and appreciate the cooperation exhibited by you and the subcommittee staff as we have worked to address some of the important issues facing not only our nation but our planet. You have carried out your duties as chairman in an open and collaborative manner and for that I am truly appreciative.
It has been my privilege to serve on this subcommittee for nearly 20 years, including serving as chairman, and for the last four years as the ranking member. I consider Interior and Environment a very important subcommittee. Literally the very quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink depends on the programs funded by this bill.