Ranking Member Lewis: “Congress Must Complete its Work on a Clean Supplemental”

Ranking Member Lewis: “Congress Must Complete its Work on a Clean Supplemental”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Jerry Lewis (R-Calif.), today called on his colleagues in the House and Senate to pass a clean supplemental spending bill as soon as possible, and to continue to work on this vital funding legislation until it is completed.

“We are down to the wire to pass funding for our troops. It would be morally unconscionable to allow these men and women to go without paychecks and housing benefits and simply because the Democrat leadership refuses to pass a responsible funding bill that the President can sign,” Rep. Lewis said.

“Congress must complete its work on a clean, responsible supplemental free of add-ons and veto-bait and it must be done soon. We would do well to take a cue from the relentless efforts of our men and women in uniform and keep working until our job is done – regardless of existing Congressional schedules – to get a clean troop funding bill to the President,” Lewis continued.

The Senate is expected to begin consideration of the war supplemental spending bill today. The House version passed last week but lacked funding for the Department of Defense, included many extraneous spending and policy provisions, and garnered the promise of a veto from the President.

Rep. Lewis has introduced H.R. 6026, a clean supplemental spending bill that provides adequate funding for our troops.  If the Democrat leadership of both chambers allowed this bill to be considered, it could pass quickly through Congress and be signed into law by the President.