News

We are here today to discuss the fiscal year 2020 budget request for the Army Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Reclamation. These agencies play a vital role in the management and development of one of our most precious resources: water. Your agencies have been under pressure over significant flooding—especially high rainfalls—and other extreme weather events. I know you make difficult choices regularly, and we appreciate your leadership.

As Acting Administrator, Dr. Jacobs oversees the agency’s $5.4 billion budget, which includes NOAA’s sea, air, land, and space observing platforms, and the critical environmental data they provide. He also covers the wet-side of NOAA and all of its work in fisheries and coastal management.

The Fiscal Year 2020 Department of Veterans Affairs budget requests a record high amount of $220.2 billion – of which $97 billion is discretionary funding, which is a 7.5 percent increase over last year.

NASA is a great agency that has accomplished much over the last 60 years. A milestone in space flight occurred on July 20th, 1969, 50 years ago, when Americans, Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin, landed the Apollo Lunar Module Eagle on the moon. At 4:17pm Eastern Standard Time, Armstrong became the first man to step onto the lunar surface – an inspiring accomplishment!

We are not far into appropriations hearing season, but I’m already tired of hearing about the Administration’s so-called tough choices. Secretary DeVos, your budget request does not reflect the reality in classrooms across the country, and if enacted, would cause irreparable, structural damage to communities across the nation.

Today, the Interior-Environment Subcommittee will begin a series of budget hearings for the fiscal year 2020, starting with the Department of the Interior. Joining us this morning is Mr. Scott Cameron, the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Office of Policy, Management, and Budget.

This morning the Committee will receive testimony on the posture of the National Guard and Reserve Components and their fiscal year 2020 budget requests. This will be a two panel hearing – panel one recognizes the Chief of the National Guard bureau. Panel two will recognize the Reserve Component Chiefs from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force reserves. I would encourage all members to stay for both panels.