Press Releases

As negotiations are underway to fund the government through the remainder of the year, it's important that we steer away from the penny-wise, pound-foolish" approach the GOP Majority took with H.R. 1. Below are just some of the examples that prioritize short-sighted savings at the expense of long-term investments in the health of the nation..."

We have asked a new generation of heroes to sacrifice on behalf of our country and we have an obligation to take care of them when they come home, Ranking Member Bishop said at the hearing. "We all know that the VA can and should improve the service and support it provides to our veterans, and we must work together to address the huge challenges facing the department."

The Treasury Department has an important role to play in helping to address the concerns of everyday Americans in the areas of tax assistance, small business credit, mortgage relief, and the creation of economic opportunity. I look forward to discussing your important work in all of these areas today.

Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee hearing Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation & Enforcement & the Office of Natural Resource Revenue FY 2012 Budget:"The Deepwater Horizon blowout proves beyond a doubt that there are inherent risks to drilling offshore. It also underscores the fallacy of the "drill baby, drill" mantra. Drilling at all costs to satisfy this nation's rapacious energy needs is reckless and costly. The truth is that we will never achieve energy independence by drilling for more oil in the U.S."

We are going to hear today about problems of improper payments in Medicare. Yet, even as the number of Medicare beneficiaries is rising, H.R. 1, the majoritys appropriations bill that passed the House last month, cuts appropriations for Medicare and Medicaid operations by $458 million, or 13 percent below last year.

Mr. Chairman, there is no budget more deserving of our attention than the VA. We have asked a new generation of heroes to sacrifice on behalf of our country and we have an obligation to take care of them when they come home

The House majoritys funding bill for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2011, H.R.1, takes a serious bite out of our efforts to prevent and treat drug abuse and thereby reduce demand for the cartels poisonous commodities...to put it simply, H.R. 1 would set our national drug control efforts back by over a billion dollars. It would rob Peter to pay Paul, cutting programs that reduce demand while maintaining those targeted at the supply of drugs.

Unfortunately, we must compare this robust request with the funding level provided in the House-passed continuing resolution. That resolution cut IRS funding by approximately $600 million from fiscal year 2010...I think such cuts to the IRS budget are very misplaced. It makes little to no sense to impose harsh budget reductions on the very agency that raises the vast majority of revenue.