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I thank the Chairman for yielding.
I want to begin by thanking Ranking Member Lowey for her continued dedication to the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee. Mrs. Lowey and I have a unique relationship. While we do not agree on everything, we do have a strong working relationship and I respect her very much.
I want to thank all the Members of our Subcommittee – from both sides of the aisle – for their participation and thoughtful contributions to this bill.
The bill before us saves taxpayer dollars by spending 9 percent less than last year. We do this by terminating ten programs, rescinding funds, and not providing new appropriations if funds are still in the pipeline.
At the same time this bill supports critical activities related to our national security, such as assistance for Israel and Mexico.
Thank you, Chairman Young and Mr. Dicks, for your remarks and your laudable leadership on this Committee. You both, as well as our dedicated staffs, have helped craft an excellent bill that provides the necessary resources to keep our country safe and that will advance our important missions around the globe.
I'd like to take this time to express my gratitude to Mr. Dicks for being an excellent partner and leader over the years. His involvement and expertise has been a tremendous asset to the Committee, and we look forward to working with him for as long as he graces us with his presence. The same goes for Jerry Lewis, who has been both a member and a chairman of this subcommittee for many years. It won't be the same without them.
Thank you both for your remarks, and I congratulate you on producing a solid Appropriations bill and for bringing this bill to the Full Committee. It's a sign of the important progress we have made in making the appropriations process more open, transparent and thorough.
Another achievement of this Committee has been our unprecedented success in reining in federal spending. For two fiscal years in a row, we cut discretionary spending below the previous year – more than $95 billion – without decimating the programs and services our citizens rely on, and we are on track to continue that trend this year.
