News

WASHINGTON—Today, Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) and Related Agencies joined in approval of the FY2015 CJS Appropriations Bill, praising the bipartisan nature in the subcommittee's work and highlighting several of his own priorities.

The legislation is responsible for funding the Departments of Commerce and Justice, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and other related agencies. Following today's subcommittee consideration, the bill now moves to the full Appropriations Committee.

Thank you Chairman Crenshaw. I'd like to join you in welcoming Secretary Lew before the subcommittee for the second time. You lead a Department with a variety of missions important to our economy, our government, and our nation as a whole.

The Treasury Department plays a central role in promoting economic growth and opportunity through programs like the CDFI Fund, ensuring financial stability through the implementation of Dodd-Frank, enforcing our tax laws fairly, and managing our nation's finances. Your budget request for fiscal year 2015 promotes all of these things. Most of the agency is held to pretty austere budget levels, but there are significant requested investments at the IRS, which is the largest part of your budget.

Highlights of 2015 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act

2014 Enacted: $73.299 billion

President's Request: $71.897 billion

Committee Mark: $71.499 billion

MILITARY CONSTRUCTION: $6.557 billion, a decrease of $3.3 billion million below 2014 and equal to the budget request, is provided for Military Construction programs.

· The Committee recommendation fully funds the 2015 budget request for all Reserve Components at $426.5 million, which is $239 million below the 2014 enacted level.

Highlights of 2015 Legislative Branch Appropriations Act:

2014 enacted: $3.33 billion

2015 President's request: $3.45 billion

2015 Committee mark: $3.33 billion

*Committee mark excludes Senate items

The Chairman's mark provides:

· $1.18 billion for the U.S. House of Representatives, which is equal to the 2014 enacted level and $19.8 million less than the President's budget request.

· $347.96 million for the Capitol Police, which is $9.5 million more than the 2014 enacted level and $7.7 million less than the President's budget request.

· $45.7 million for the Congressional Budget Office, which is equal to the 2014 enacted level and $378,000 less than the President's budget request.

Thank you, Chairman Cole, Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz, and Chairman Rogers for your work on this bill. Today we consider the smallest of the appropriations bills, which funds the operations of our nation's legislative branch.

Without Senate items, the bill is $3.326 billion, the same as 2014. While I am pleased with the overall funding level, it was my hope that after years of cuts to member representational allowances, or MRAs, we might provide a modest increase this year.

I am very pleased you are at the helm of USAID and appreciate your leadership, as well as the tireless efforts of your colleagues at USAID. The strength of USAID is, and always has been, its dedicated public servants from the top down. As a result of the continued generosity of the American people, USAID remains on the frontlines helping reduce poverty, hunger, and disease while making targeted investments to advance democracy, education, and health.

Thank you, Chairman Cole and Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz, for your hard work on this Subcommittee. While this may be the smallest of the appropriations bills, your leadership serves as an example to others of how the partisan-divide can be bridged and compromise can be reached. I look forward to continuing my work with you and the rest of this Subcommittee.

Without Senate items, this bill to fund the operations of our nation's legislative branch is $3.326 billion, the same as 2014. While I am pleased with the overall funding level, it was my hope that after years of cuts to member representational allowances, or MRA's, we might provide a modest increase this year.

Ambassador Power, I join Chairwoman Granger in welcoming you today.

I must begin by raising yesterday's media reports that Palestinian President Abbas applied for recognition from 15 UN conventions and treaties. This reckless effort signals a break down in the peace process, with far-reaching repercussions on the United States' relationship with the UN and specialized agencies. Madame Ambassador, I hope you will begin your remarks today by discussing the Administration's response to this news.

This is a highly distressing development because the United Nations plays an integral and indispensable role in maintaining international peace and security, promoting economic and social development, alleviating hunger, championing human rights and supporting efforts to address humanitarian crises.