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Thank you, Madam Speaker.
I rise today in strong opposition to H.R. 4502, a package of seven fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills that will be considered by the House this week.
I wish the circumstances were different and I could support this important piece of legislation that funds critical programs.
Unfortunately, after months of committee hearings and markups, this year's bills have too many fatal flaws.
First, there is no agreement between Republicans and Democrats on the topline spending level for appropriations.
Second, there is no bipartisan agreement on the funding level for each individual bill. To put it simply, non-defense spending is too high and defense spending is too low.
Third, our colleagues on the other side of the aisle have included the most alarming policy changes I have ever seen.
Thank you, Chairman McGovern and Ranking Member Cole, for allowing me to testify on H.R. 4502, a package of seven fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills.
I wish the circumstances were different and I were here speaking in favor of this important piece of legislation.
Unfortunately, there is not bipartisan support, so I am here to ask the Rules Committee to allow amendments to H.R. 4502, so that it can be improved.
I want to begin by acknowledging the tireless efforts of our full committee chair, Ms. DeLauro, and the subcommittee chairs and ranking members who will be testifying today.
In addition to having a rigorous hearing schedule, in just ten days we held twenty-four markups. It is quite an accomplishment to be sitting before you with all of our bills reported out of committee.
WASHINGTON – Today, the full committee met to consider the fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills for the subcommittees on Energy and Water Development and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. The committee also considered technical changes to the subcommittee allocations, known as 302(b)s. Committee Republicans did not support reporting out these measures due to the total spending level and controversial policy provisions that are in the bills.
