Press Releases
July 12, 2017
With all of these procedural roadblocks hindering our path forward, one might think the majority would produce bills that could possibly gain support from Democrats, by for example, not funding a wasteful and useless border wall or a deportation force separating children from their families. Yet that has not happened.
Subcommittees
July 12, 2017
The FY 2018 Chairman’s mark for the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies subcommittee cuts funding by $824 million below the FY 2017 enacted level. This level is too low and is a step in the wrong direction. These cuts mean that the needs of many important programs vital to protecting our nation’s natural and cultural resources will not be met.
July 12, 2017
The new administration has significantly changed the dynamic on immigration enforcement, and the result, unfortunately, is that I cannot in good conscience support this year’s bill in its current form.
Subcommittees
July 11, 2017
As you have already stated, this year’s mark includes $56.5 billion for vital transportation, housing, and community development programs at DOT, HUD, and related agencies. Unfortunately, this represents a funding decrease of more than $1.1 billion compared to the recently enacted omnibus.
July 11, 2017
Today, we are marking up our eighth appropriations bill at subcommittee level. However, more than nine months into the fiscal year, the majority continues to flounder in passing a budget resolution, and the Committee has only just released its full slate of 302(b) allocations. This is a highly irresponsible way to operate and a perversion of regular order.
July 11, 2017
An inadequate nondefense allocation results in a bill with damaging cuts to critical investments in clean energy, advanced energy research, and nuclear nonproliferation; as well as several divisive policy riders.
July 11, 2017
The Agriculture bill’s insufficient allocation results in consequential reductions for food aid, and underfunding CFTC’s enforcement of consumer financial protections.
July 7, 2017
I must oppose the bill before us today. With an overall funding level of $20.231 billion, which is $1.3 billion, or 6 percent below FY17, this bill does not adequately promote small business creation, consumer protection, or good governance.
June 29, 2017
Inadequate funding remains only part of the story. Poison pill riders turn a bad bill into another example of the Republican Majority’s culture war. Attacks on women’s health care, efforts to block implementation of the Affordable Care Act, and an attempt to sneak 88 pages of the Financial CHOICE Act into this bill and effectively repeal Dodd-Frank are particularly shameful.
June 29, 2017
I wish we could be here in other circumstances. After scorekeeping adjustments, the bill includes an approximately 1 percent cut from last year’s funding level in the Omnibus. This funding level is inadequate given the key roles that the agencies under this subcommittee play in securing our nation, promoting economic development, and ensuring our leadership in scientific endeavors.