Ranking Member DeLauro Statement at Full Committee Markup of Fiscal Year 2025 Subcommittee Allocations

WASHINGTON - Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the Committee's markup of the Report on the Suballocation of Budget Allocations for Fiscal Year 2025, also known as “302(b)s”. Updated fact sheets on the allocations can be found here and here.  

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.

Throughout this year’s process, what the House Republican majority has shown is that they cannot adhere to their promise of sticking to the caps with nothing more.

Let me be perfectly clear: House Republicans have acknowledged in their own bills that the statutory caps are insufficient. That is something I whole-heartedly agree with.

However, despite opening the door to additional resources, House Republicans’ proposals still fall woefully short. Their bills would still cut nondefense investments by more than $52 billion from where we were with the final bills in March, leaving more than $60 billion in investments in American families on the table.

So, I say to House Republicans what I have said time and time again: We know where we need to go. House Democrats are ready to work together, but we will accept nothing less than a one percent increase in defense and nondefense funding. That means a starting point of $786 billion in nondefense resources.

To those who believe we need more on the defense side – like the esteemed chair of the Defense subcommittee testified at Rules last month – I will say again: Democrats will demand that every additional dollar for defense will be matched by a dollar for critical nondefense investments in American families.

I cannot support these irresponsible funding levels. And I hope Republicans will reconsider their strategy and join us at the table to support workers and families, and to finish the business of the American people, on time. It is time to govern.

Thank you, and I yield back.

###