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WASHINGTON, DC—The Democratic members of the House of Representatives Labor-Health and Human Services (HHS)-Education Appropriations Subcommittee today unveiled their Fiscal Year 2015 spending bill. For the second consecutive year, Republicans who control the committee refused to even bring a bill before the subcommittee for a vote, the only appropriations bill to have that distinction.

“The majority’s inadequate proposal in response to the humanitarian crisis at our borders is unacceptable and would guarantee another emergency in September, raising the prospect of government shutdown.

“Republicans fail to provide what is needed to equip border security, judicial, and human services personnel to address this crisis immediately. Yet, they propose making rash, ill-considered, and divisive changes to longstanding immigration law after refusing for over a year to debate bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform, which could have helped prevent the crisis we currently face.

I thank Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member Moran for your work on this bill. Chairman Calvert, congratulations on introducing your first appropriations bill and for following the Committee tradition of consulting the minority even if the outcome is not something we can support at this time. This is the last Interior and Environment Full Committee markup for Mr. Moran. I am sorry to see him go and wish him success in all his future endeavors. We are losing a true stalwart for the environment.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

My working relationship with Chairman Calvert has been first-rate. He has carried out his duties in an open and collaborative manner. I have enjoyed working with him and appreciate the cooperation exhibited by Chairman Calvert and the subcommittee staff (Dave, Darren, Jason, Rachelle, Colin, and Jackie) as we have worked to address some of the important issues facing not only our nation but our planet.

I am saddened to have to rise in opposition to this legislation today. As a long-time appropriator, I remember the days when we were always able to come together to determine the funding levels for our government in a bipartisan manner and with little partisan warfare. Unfortunately, this bill is not a product of those times.

I thank Chairman Calvert and Ranking Member Moran for your work on this bill. Chairman Calvert, congratulations on introducing your first bill and for following the Committee tradition of consulting the minority even if the outcome is not something we can support at this time. During this last Interior and Environment Subcommittee markup for Mr. Moran, I am sorry to see him go and wish him success in all his future endeavors. We are losing a true stalwart for the environment.

Of the eleven FY15 bills that have been released, this is perhaps the worst. Even though the allocation, $162 million more than the current level, was sufficient to produce a legitimate bill, the Majority squandered these additional resources.

Thank you Mr. Chairman.

Let me start off by saying that you have done a great job since assuming the chair from our colleague, Mike Simpson. I have enjoyed working with you and appreciate the cooperation exhibited by you and the subcommittee staff as we have worked to address some of the important issues facing not only our nation but our planet. You have carried out your duties as chairman in an open and collaborative manner and for that I am truly appreciative.

It has been my privilege to serve on this subcommittee for nearly 20 years, including serving as chairman, and for the last four years as the ranking member. I consider Interior and Environment a very important subcommittee. Literally the very quality of the air we breathe and the water we drink depends on the programs funded by this bill.

I thank Chairman Simpson for his leadership.

This energy, water, and nuclear security bill is liberty's business. It is about national nuclear security, about energy security, about jobs and economic growth here at home through upgrading our ports, preventing flooding, assuring fresh water from coast to coast, and inventing the new energy technologies required to reposition America for energy security in our homeland for a new century. Bottom line: our bill is about the business of ensuring liberty for our country.