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Thank you, Chairman Dent, Ranking Member Bishop, and Chairman Rogers.
Next week our full committee will meet to vote on all twelve subcommittee allocations. As my colleagues are aware, the House Majority's budget resolution, which gives this committee its overall budget, was opposed by every Member on my side of the aisle. Quite simply, it was inadequate, and we much preferred the approach taken by the President calling for an end to the sequester and more reasonable and realistic budgeting that will grow our economy and give hardworking Americans opportunity to succeed.
Thank you Mr. Chairman
I want to congratulate Chairman Dent on making it through his first hearing cycle as Chairman and on his first subcommittee markup. I would like to thank you for the cooperative tone you set from day one. I believe the Chairman has worked very hard to get us to this point. I pleased several aspects of the bill. For example, the bill maintains the tough but fair reporting requirements for Electronic Health Records endeavor. The bill continues to prioritize the elimination of the claims backlog, and it includes steps to keep the Board of Veterans Appeals ahead of the curve. I think these are all positive steps to making the VA function better. Furthermore, this bill does not contain any policy riders.
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), the Ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, today delivered the following opening statement at a Subcommittee hearing on the Department of Homeland Security's budget request for Fiscal Year 2016. The hearing's witness was Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson.
Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), senior Democrat on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee today called for more funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She also highlighted the agency's proposal to better monitor the amount and impact of sports-related head injuries. The opening statement below is as delivered before the Committee. The exchange on sports-related head injuries can be viewed here, beginning at about 1:21:00.
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), the Ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, today delivered the following opening statement at a Subcommittee hearing on the U.S. Coast Guard budget request for Fiscal Year 2016. The hearing's witness was Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Paul F. Zukunft.
"Admiral, welcome to your first appearance before the Subcommittee as the Commandant of the Coast Guard. This morning, we will discuss the Coast Guard's budget request for Fiscal Year 2016, which totals $8.1 billion in discretionary funding – a cut of $238 million, or 2.8 percent, from the current year appropriation.
WASHINGTON, DC—Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), senior member of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee made the below following statement at today's hearing on the National Labor Relations Board's Fiscal Year 2016 budget request. It can also be viewed here.
Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), the Ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, today delivered the following opening statement at a Subcommittee hearing on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) budget request for Fiscal Year 2016. The hearing's witness was TSA Acting Administrator Melvin Carraway.
"Administrator Carraway, welcome to your first appearance before the Subcommittee, and congratulations on your appointment as Acting Administrator. We are here to support your efforts to ensure the security of the traveling public, and we appreciate your hard work and commitment, and that of TSA personnel.
Thank you Mr. Chairman. I would also like to welcome Internal Revenue Service Commissioner John Koskinen back before the subcommittee.
We are here today at a very serious time for the Internal Revenue Service. Last year, the IRS budget was cut by $346 million dollars, leaving the agency at the lowest level of funding since fiscal year 2008. Since fiscal year 2010, the IRS has been cut by more than $1.2 billion. And if some in the other party had had their way, they would have been cut even further.
The results of these cuts are predictable. Is it a surprise to anyone that the IRS telephone response rates have plummeted? Is it news to anyone that the IRS is unlikely to collect as many taxes when we reduce their funding in such a ham-handed way?
Washington, DC – Congressman David E. Price (NC-04), Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee, made the following opening statement at this morning's hearing with Administrator Michael Huerta of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to join you in welcoming Federal Aviation Administrator Michael Huerta to the Subcommittee.
Welcome, Secretary Klaus and Secretary Whitney, and thank you for taking the time to discuss the Environmental Program.
Mr. Whitney, your program faces massive challenges. The legacy of the Manhattan Project is an obligation we as a country must address. The continued issues at the Waste Isolation Plant and at Hanford are illustrative of not only the dangers posed by the remaining materials, but also the technical and budgetary challenges that further complicate the eventual success of the Department's efforts.
Further, I have lingering concerns about the Department's safety culture. With such a critical mission at stake, the work environment at your sites must ensure employee concerns are addressed in a timely manner and without fear of retribution.