Ranking Member Espaillat Statement at the Subcommittee Markup of the 2024 Legislative Branch Bill

Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY-13), Ranking Member of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee Markup of the 2024 Legislative Branch bill:

**as prepared for delivery**

Thank you, Chairman Amodei.

The 2024 Legislative Branch bill is $5.3 billion, which is $252 million below FY23 enacted levels.

You have been nothing but cordial this year on the Subcommittee, and I appreciate the opportunity to grow our relationship.

However, in light of the recent attack on two Congressional staffers in Virginia, I am severely disappointed that this bill does not increase security enhancements for our constituents and the staff who serve them.

Considering this event, we must include additional resources for the Sergeant at Arms' District Office Security Program and expand its scope so that Members can use this program for more than just one district office.

I also want to express my profound discontent—that this bill does nothing to provide DACA recipients with work eligibility in our branch of government, especially when many of them are already interns and fellows throughout our branch of government.

Moreover, this bill does nothing to continue the progress Congress has made in terms of expanding Capitol Hill diversity. In addition, this bill turns its back on congressional staff by union busting, taking away staff-led efforts for collective bargaining.

With that said, I must recognize that House Republicans have pledged to cut nondefense programs that families depend on to survive by $142 billion. I cannot, in good conscience, vote to fund this bill without understanding the larger impact of these proposed cuts on all 12 appropriations bills.

For all these reasons, I cannot support this bill, and I respectfully request that my friends on the other side of the aisle go back to the drawing board and come back with a workable allocation and a full slate of workable subcommittee allocations so that we are able to proceed with the important business of our 2024 appropriations work. I yield back.