Cole Floor Remarks on H.R. 10545, the American Relief Act, 2025

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

I rise today in support of H.R. 10545, the American Relief Act, 2025. This bill provides continuing appropriations to keep the government open and operating through March 14, 2025.

When the House Appropriations Committee began our process of drafting bills for fiscal year 2025, we knew we had to work quickly to put the House in the best position possible. To that end, we successfully reported all twelve of our annual appropriations bills out of the Committee and succeeded in passing five of them across the floor of the House by the end of July. 

Unfortunately, the House does not act on its own, and I am sorry to say that, whether we like it or not, our colleagues in the Senate and have input into this process. To date, the Senate has yet to pass a single fiscal year 2025 appropriations bill across the floor. As time has gone on, we have reached the deadline of December 20, meaning another extension is necessary.

Today’s bill extends government funding through March 14th, which will grant Congress the needed time to reach a final agreement on our FY25 spending bills. It will also give President-elect Trump an opportunity to participate in the process. 

Governing by continuing resolution is never ideal, but Congress has a responsibility to keep the government open and operating for the American people. The alternative – a government shutdown – would be devastating for our national defense and for our constituents and would be a grave mistake. Today’s bill avoids such a self-inflicted error.

Today’s bill will also provide much-needed relief to Americans struggling to recover from recent natural disasters. 

This includes destruction in my own district, which faced tornadoes that ripped through Oklahoma. And it will especially provide support for communities ravaged by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.  

The devastation caused by these storms and other disasters is heartbreaking. Congress must act. In this bill we will provide one hundred billion in supplemental emergency disaster funding. This will provide the necessary disaster recovery aid for states and communities as our fellow citizens rebuild and restore. 

Finally, the bill also provides ten billion dollars in economic assistance for our farmers and ranchers. In the wake of many natural disasters and a difficult farm economy, our farmers and ranchers are in dire need of economic assistance. While there is still a long road ahead for recovery efforts and rebuilding, this aid will mark a vital step forward, and will help preserve family farms and ranches across the country while also continuing to ensure food and agricultural security for our nation. 

For these reasons, I urge all of my colleagues to vote in support of H.R. 10545 today. Thank you, and I reserve the balance of my time.