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This subcommittee can and must do more to lift up our nation’s most vulnerable so that every person, no matter their background or zip code, has the opportunity to contribute, succeed and prosper. This means strengthening the programs we just spoke about, not gutting them.

"Even if there’s a world where funding for veterans health care is held harmless, that would only further devastate the rest of the nondefense discretionary programs that veterans rely on outside of VA – like homelessness programs, job training and employment resources, and transportation resources."

"The mission of the Justice Department is vast and broad. There is no shortage of topics I know we will discuss here today: enforcing and upholding the rule of law; support for State, local, and tribal law enforcement; combatting drug trafficking networks to keep dangerous narcotics out of our communities; defense of our national security and mitigation of emerging foreign and domestic threats, including cyber threats. I know we’ll hear of the critical tasks the Department is carrying out, including preservation of civil liberties and support for free and fair elections; protection of vulnerable populations exposed to domestic and community violence; and safeguarding our commerce and economy."

"We also understand that we want to talk to you a little bit more about the FY23 funding bill that supported TSA’s efforts to provide parity to TSA’s workforce, an effort to bring TSA employees on par with their peers in the rest of the Federal government. We do know that there is some work to be done legislatively."

"The EPA plays a very critical role in all of our lives. We witnessed this recently on a national scale, as critical cleanup work surrounding the disaster in East Palestine and the spill in the Delaware River continues right now. The EPA is central to cleaning up the contaminated water and lands that people rely on. Right now, parents in cities around these areas—even many miles away— do not know if they can turn the tap on out of fear. What are their kids going to drink? They are scared to breathe the air outside their homes. But the EPA has a key role in understanding the size and scale of these disasters and oversees the cleanup, making sure those responsible do not cut corners."

"The request proposes substantial increases to address the climate crisis through robust funding for the EPA’s science and technology and environmental programs. It makes important investments in environmental justice programs so that we can continue to address historic underinvestment in underserved and overburdened communities."

"The Army is not a regional force – it is a global force. The Army must meet the different demands of each of the combatant commanders and adjust to the many different environmental situations. And the Army has accomplished this over the years with strong ties to NATO nations, South Korea, Japan, and many other new partners in Asia under Operation Pathways."

"The CFTC is a steward of both American markets and American taxpayers' dollars. With one of the smaller budgets among independent agencies, the CFTC is responsible for regulating a massive financial market. In June 2022, the Bank for International Settlements estimated that global derivatives markets had a $632 trillion notional value—that is trillion with a 'T'—while the CFTC received a total of $365 million in FY23 appropriations. The CFTC is also the only U.S. financial regulator that does not impose user fees on market participants, which further demonstrates the huge return that the American people get on their investment in the agency."