Ranking Member DeLauro Statement at the Subcommittee Markup of the 2024 Financial Services and General Government Funding Bill
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee markup of the fiscal year 2024 Financial Services and General Government funding bill:
– As Prepared For Delivery –
Thank you Chairwoman Granger, and thank you Subcommittee Chairman Womack, Ranking Member Hoyer, and the subcommittee staff for all the work that you do.
The funding level and policy riders in this Financial Services and General Government bill put forth by the majority in my view are unacceptable. The Republicans propose cutting critical agencies the American people depend on by a staggering 58 percent.
From the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) enforcing the tax code, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) protecting Americans from scammers and higher prices through anti-competitive practices, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC) combatting dangerous products including those for children, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) ensuring the fairness of markets, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) preventing robocalls, the agencies funded in the Financial Services and General Government Funding Bill are critical to keeping Americans safe.
By slashing $1.1 billion from the IRS from their enforcement programs, this legislation benefits scammers, fraudsters, tax cheats, billionaires, and the biggest corporations, at the expense of hardworking Americans who pay their taxes.
The majority cuts funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission, enabling dangerous products to go to market.
Scammers will continue to steal the life savings of seniors without protection from the Federal Trade Commission.
Robocalls – we'd get more with cuts to the Federal Communications Commission.
And this bill drastically underfunds the Securities and Exchange Commission – their task is to protect the markets and keep them fair for the American people.
It makes our elections less secure by eliminating funding for Election Security Grants and cutting funding for the FEC.
The majority has included some 50 or so problematic and pointless riders, including prohibitions on the SEC's climate disclosure rule, prohibitions on gender-affirming health care and abortion, and micromanaging the District of Columbia's health laws and in fact their traffic laws.
This is a wishlist by some that has no chance of passing in the Senate or being signed by the President of the United States.
This bill reneges on the debt ceiling agreement that Speaker McCarthy negotiated, and which was signed into law. I may be the only one sitting here this morning who voted against that bill. But I'm a member of this institution and a very quick civics lesson says you pass a bill in the House, you pass a bill in the Senate, then the President signs it, and it becomes law.
I'm willing to abide by and live by the framework that was established in the budget agreement. Let's go forward. Let's do that.
Domestic investments don't create a deficit. Largely, our deficit is a revenue problem in many respects. And yet, so many on the other side of the aisle would refuse to use this agreement to bring revenue onto the table. And all the while, the Ways and Means committee is considering a massive tax cut for the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations, which will contribute to the deficit.
The appropriations committee is central to effectively running the federal government and providing services to the American people. This committee is charged with governing. It is the heart and soul of government. We must respect the taxpayer dollars, fulfill the priorities, and complete the business of all Americans.
Unfortunately, I believe that some in the the majority only look to protect the tax dollars and priorities of the wealthiest. Chairman Womack, and you are a dear friend, you have been a voice of reason in recent months, and you clearly understand the inevitable conclusion of the course the majority is charting. I so deeply hope more of your fellow Republicans will come to their senses.
For all these reasons, I cannot support this bill. The Appropriations Committee is the heart and soul of the federal government. It's where we make the decisions that shape our values, and our priorities. I respectfully request that those on the other side of the aisle go back to the drawing board and come back with a slate of workable subcommittee allocations so that we are able to proceed with the important work of this committee and the important work of governing on behalf of the American people.
I yield back.