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Today, the Subcommittee will mark up the fiscal year 2013 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies appropriations bill.

The fiscal situation facing the Nation requires significant and difficult spending reductions. The need for reductions was reflected in the Budget Resolution that passed the House, and in the allocation we have been given pending adoption by the Full Committee.

There are a number of areas in this bill that, under different circumstances, many would prefer to fund at different levels. However, the bill in front of the Subcommittee today is a strong bill with strategic investments in national security, job creation and science.

I thank the Chairman for yielding, and I congratulate him on completing the FY13 Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriation Bill. Mr. Wolf, Mr. Fattah and staff on both sides have worked tirelessly to bring this important legislation before the subcommittee today.

Unquestionably the fiscal situation confronting our nation is of the utmost importance to our national and economic security. The alarming trajectory of federal spending in the last three years is simply unsustainable if we are to grow our economy and create jobs. And perhaps nowhere in the Congress have we made more meaningful progress in reversing these startling trends than here in the Appropriations Committee. This bill is no exception, representing our commitment to restoring austerity, restraint and thoughtfulness to the appropriations process.

I'd like to call the subcommittee to order.

Before we get started, I would like to thank Mr. Visclosky and all members for their participation in putting this bill together and their participation in many oversight hearings.

The bill for fiscal year 2013 totals $32.1 billion, $965 million below the request and $88 million above 2012.

This last figure – the above 2012 part – is a little misleading. There were many rescissions that we took in 2012 that we can't take this year. Setting those aside, the bill is actually $623 million below last year.

Not surprisingly, we had to make some hard choices to reach that level, and I appreciate everyone's help to get there. The recommendation continues to prioritize investments in our nuclear security enterprise, programs to address gasoline prices, and opportunities to advance American competitiveness, including the Corps of Engineers.