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Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today sent the following letter to Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY), urging him to schedule consideration of Appropriations bills that fund key federal investigative and law enforcement agencies.

Full letter follows:

The Honorable Harold Rogers
U.S. House Committee on Appropriations
H-305, U.S. Capitol Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Rogers:

We are all shaken and heartbroken by the tragic attacks that took place today in Belgium, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all those affected.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I want to welcome Dr. Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, as well as Dr. Lowy, Dr. Fauci, Dr. Hodes, and Dr. Volkow – thank you all for being here this morning to discuss the 2017 budget request for NIH.

The NIH is the leading biomedical research entity in the world. With each scientific discovery, each medical breakthrough, its research advances human knowledge, improves our quality of life, and saves lives.

Funding this research has the power to do more good for more people than almost anything else within the purview of government. Last year, we were able to provide a significant increase of $2 billion for the NIH. I want to thank Chairman Cole – and all of the members of the subcommittee – for their bipartisan work to support NIH research.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And thank you, Secretary Perez, for joining us this morning, and for your leadership on behalf of American workers and their families.

The Department of Labor exists to represent the workers who form the backbone of our economy and are the engine of its growth. It helps provide them with stability by protecting their wages, working conditions, health benefits, and retirement security. The Department also supports a nationwide workforce development system, which partners with private employers to train a skilled workforce for the high-growth, high-demand industries of the future.

Our economy has seen significant gains in the past year – we have added 225,000 jobs per month. The unemployment rate is below 5 percent, and we are seeing improvement in the Labor Force Participation Rate.

Administrator Smith, I welcome you, again, to the helm of USAID, and I am pleased to have you here today. USAID continues to play an indispensable role in spearheading global development efforts, and I’m sure we’ll see even greater achievements under your leadership.

Given unprecedented levels of humanitarian needs around the world today, you face the unenviable task of guiding U.S. response efforts on nearly every continent.

With this in mind, I have concerns regarding whether the Fiscal Year 17 budget request will provide USAID the necessary resources to implement current programs and prepare for new or unanticipated challenges.

Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY), Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, today issued the following statement on the House Republican majority’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget resolution:

“The majority’s ‘Road to Ruin’ budget would devastate good-paying jobs, end the Medicare guarantee, and increase poverty in our communities. It raids billions in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) funding to finance non-war related spending, likely making a supplemental necessary later this year to keep the United States and our allies safe.

“Good morning, Director Saldaña, and welcome to this morning’s hearing.

“Let me begin by saying how pleased I am that the Advisory Committee for family detention began its work last December. The budget proposes $57 million for 960 family detention beds, which is a significant reduction below the number of beds funded for the current year. This is a reflection of how the approach to families has changed over the past several months. As we have discussed, much more still needs to be done, and I am hopeful the Advisory Committee will play a significant role in addressing the serious issues that still exist.

Secretary Lew, I join Chairwoman Granger in welcoming you here today, and I thank you for your service to our country.

The President’s 2017 budget request reflects the importance of our continued investments in international financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank, which offer a cost-effective way to leverage taxpayer dollars and promote our own economic and national security interests.

Additionally, the Treasury Department leads the world in disrupting terrorist financing networks, enforcing sanctions against violators of international norms, and providing technical assistance to countries serious about strengthening their own financial management and accountability systems. Your Department plays a central role in these vital efforts, and I look forward to hearing from you on how the request would further these important undertakings.

“Director Clancy, welcome to this morning’s hearing.

“I know the past few years have been challenging for the Secret Service, but I am very hopeful that you have now turned a corner on putting the agency back on the right track.

“Beyond incidents that brought negative attention to the agency, the Secret Service faced a significant operational challenge last September, when it provided protection for the pope’s visit and the United Nations General Assembly, while also preparing for the beginning of the presidential nomination and transition process. By all accounts, the Secret Service performed admirably, and I congratulate you, your senior staff, and all the men and women of the Secret Service on a job well done. And I understand that a number of TSA and ICE personnel also pitched in to support the effort, so this was truly a DHS unity of effort initiative.