Cole Remarks at Rules Committee Hearing on H.R. 6938, Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development, and Interior and Environment Appropriations Act, 2026

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.

I appear before you today on H.R. 6938, a three-bill package covering the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment appropriations measures for fiscal year 2026.

Today’s bills are the result of a bipartisan and bicameral negotiation. As such, they are a compromise product, with buy-in from members of both parties and in both chambers of Congress. The Appropriations Committee has long sought to operate in a bipartisan and collaborative manner, and with today’s package, we fulfill that longstanding commitment. The end result is a reminder for us all that consensus – not partisan obstruction – is not only possible, it is preferable.

Today’s package is the second step forward in finishing our twelve funding bills for fiscal year 2026. In November, we enacted into law our first three-bill package. Today, we build on the momentum of what we accomplished then. In the coming weeks, I look forward to appearing before you again on additional packages, with the goal of completing all fiscal year 2026 funding by the January 30 deadline.

With passage of these three measures, we will have full-year funding in place for many of our most crucial programs. The Department of Justice will be able to fulfill its important mission protecting Americans from wrongdoers, including combating illicit drugs like the scourge of fentanyl. We prioritize American energy dominance and safeguarding critical mineral resources. National parks will be open and operating, and essential wildfire protection programs will remain in place. Other vital public safety programs like the National Weather Center in Norman, Oklahoma, will likewise continue to serve the American people. The Army Corps of Engineers will continue its important work of water development and flood control, as will the Department of Energy’s critical programs, including maintenance of our nuclear weapons stockpile.

I could go on and on, but I think the Committee sees the point: this three-bill package provides funding for countless critical programs that assist Americans every single day of the year. All three measures also include member-requested community project funding, ensuring that Congress maintains control over the power of the purse, and allowing members and communities to address their most pressing needs.

Perhaps what is most important is what this package does not do. In moving this process forward, we avoided an omnibus spending package at the Christmas holidays, an outcome that was a high priority for many members, including myself. And we accomplished this by negotiating these bills at the committee level, thereby taking another strong step toward returning the appropriations process to regular order.

I thank each of you for your time – and look forward to your questions today.