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Thank you, Chairman Aderholt, and thank you to Ranking Member DeLauro and all of our committee members for being here. Today, we take up our tenth Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations measure before the full committee.

Good morning ladies and gentlemen. The bill I bring before you today seeks to strike a balance between fiscal stewardship and maintaining necessary investments in biomedical research, America’s rural health, and support for students.

I would like to first thank Chairman Amodei, Ranking Member Cuellar, Ranking Member DeLauro, and all the members of the subcommittee for being here today. Keeping Americans safe and secure is a fundamental duty, and the measure we are considering is critical to that mission. These aren’t words – they are facts. Everyone in this room understands the stakes – and the consequences of not acting. You have to look no further than to the Senate Democrat DHS shutdown to understand what I mean.

I would first like to thank the Members of the Subcommittee for their participation and insightful questions during our budget hearings in April. As we put together the bill and report, we made a concerted effort to address as many Member priorities as possible. Last year was not typical for the DHS bill.

Thank you, Chairman Aderholt, and thank you to Ranking Member DeLauro and all of our subcommittee members for being here today. I will start by saying that the significance of the Labor, HHS, and Education bill is something I know well. Having spent several years leading this subcommittee, I have a deep appreciation for both the scope of this bill and the obligations that come with it.

The bill before you today balances the need for responsible fiscal stewardship, while maintaining key investments in biomedical research, America’s schools, and core public health.