Cole Testifies at Rules Committee on H.R. 7148 and H.R. 7147
Washington, D.C. – Today, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) spoke before the House Committee on Rules in support of H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, and H.R. 7147, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026.
Watch Chairman Cole's remarks here.
Read Chairman Cole's remarks as prepared here and below:
"Chairwoman Foxx, Ranking Member McGovern, and esteemed members of the Rules Committee, I thank you for your warm welcome and your kind invitation to testify today. We have not been strangers in recent weeks, and this final stretch is the culmination of hard work and commitment.
"I appear before you with a package covering our last four appropriations measures for Fiscal Year 2026. These bills cover:
- the Department of Defense;
- the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education;
- the Department of Homeland Security; and
- the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.
"This legislation appears before you in two distinct bills, H.R. 7148, which covers the Defense, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation and Housing and Urban Development divisions; and H.R. 7147, which covers the Department of Homeland Security.
"As members of this committee are well aware, bipartisan and bicameral negotiations are complex and take time. Nonetheless, today marks the third time in as many weeks that we are appearing before you with a package representing the consensus, deliberation, and the priorities of our great nation. As with our previous packages, this outcome reflects the reality of serious governing: shared contributions and shared compromise.
"I am deeply pleased by what we were able to accomplish on behalf of the American people. The Appropriations Committee held the line on spending, putting forward twelve negotiated bills that actually reduce spending relative to what would have been spent in a continuing resolution. We did so while ensuring full funding for countless priorities of both the Republican conference and the Trump Administration. Many of these bills also deliver tangible results through member-requested community projects that address real needs back home.
"At its core, this measure is about American strength – and a focused future. The Defense division - our largest measure - champions American military power, ensuring that our brave warfighters have the tools, weapons systems, and capabilities to meet any foe, anywhere in the world, at any time.
"The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education title directs investments toward high-impact priorities that save lives and expand opportunity. It supports lifesaving biomedical research and resilient medical supply chains, classrooms and training that prepare the next generation for success, and rural hospitals and primary care to end the chronic disease epidemic. It also includes funding for programs that are near and dear to my heart, like TRIO and Gear Up, which assist first-generation and lower-income individuals preparing to attend college.
"The Homeland Security bill provides for much-needed investments into enhanced border security, as well as other measures essential to protecting the American homeland from terrorists, narco-traffickers, criminals, and others who wish us harm. We are reinforcing the layered defenses that keep our country and communities safe.
"Finally, the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development title invests in critical infrastructure across the nation. Touching every district in every state, it supports the growth of America’s transportation sector by enhancing FAA facilities, modernizing air traffic control, repairing and rebuilding bridges, and strengthening transit systems. It also advances key housing and economic development programs to help ensure that every American has a safe place to call home.
"Across these measures, we have real deliverables and real wins.
"So, as we look towards finishing the job, I am reminded of what happens when people stay at the table and see the work through. Producing a bipartisan and bicameral appropriations package is never easy. Yet today, we are once again moving forward with a complete set of bills. It’s a testament to the hard work exhibited by this committee – including members on both sides of the aisle and our hardworking staff who make this process work. Without them, none of this would have been possible.
"I thank each of you for your time, and I urge all members to support this bipartisan package. I look forward to your questions today."
###
