Remarks

Thank you, Chairman Valadao, Ranking Member Espaillat, Ranking Member DeLauro, and all our members. 

We’ve had a busy FY26 appropriations schedule this week, and we are rounding it out with a markup for a bill fundamental to those duties. 

The Legislative Branch measure is central to our democracy. It supports the operations of this House on behalf of the American people and provides resources to help our constituents.

Importantly, we exercise responsible governance by protecting key priorities and refocusing agencies on their core missions. This both safeguards taxpayer dollars and ensures proper operational scope. 

It is my pleasure to present the FY26 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill and report for your consideration today. I appreciate the opportunity to work once again with Ranking Member Espaillat and the minority staff throughout the FY26 process. I’d also like to thank Chairman Cole and Ranking Member DeLauro for their continued leadership. 

We received a record number of requests from our colleagues and the Members present today, and we had the pleasure of accommodating items from both sides of the aisle in a bipartisan manner.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume and I thank my good friend Judge Carter for yielding me time.

I rise today in support of this important piece of legislation.

Prioritizing veterans and troops says everything about our values—and that’s exactly what this first FY26 bill does.

The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act is a testament to caring for those who’ve selflessly worn America’s uniform, their families, and the defenders who follow their path of service. 

We meet this mission not only in words of gratitude, but in policies that support them. 

This legislation provides full funding for health care and benefits for our nation’s veterans and implements an advance for the Toxic Exposure Fund. This marks enhanced investment under President Trump, which is also reflected in critical mental health initiatives and work to fight homelessness. 

I am honored to present the FY26 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill to the House today. This bill supports our troops, their families and the nation’s veterans. 

The bill includes nearly $18 billion for military construction efforts. It is critical that our servicemembers and their families have the infrastructure and support they need. This bill delivers to construct and improve military housing, child care centers, and other quality of life components that are so important to those that risk so much. 

This bill continues to build on investments that strengthen our national security through the construction of modern infrastructure and improvements to critical quality of life facilities for our servicemembers and their families. 

With our agriculture priorities advanced, we now turn to our Homeland Security bill to ensure a comprehensive approach to protecting Americans. To start, I want to thank Chairman Amodei and Ranking Member Underwood for their attention and work. Everyone in this room understands that the safety of our citizens is paramount. 

We do this through strong vigilance, action, and empowering our frontline law enforcement agents. The work of the Department of Homeland Security is fundamental to those efforts. Their mission is more vital than ever. Under new White House leadership, we've seen a critical shift toward restoring safety and security — including a historic turnaround at our southern border — yet we continue to face the consequences of dangerous threats emboldened by the previous administration’s weakness.

The bill before us today provides $66.3 billion, an increase of $1.3 billion above fiscal year 2025, and $26.5 billion for major disaster response and recovery activities. 

What a difference a year makes. When we were marking up our fiscal year 2025 bill, the border was in disarray. We were spending billions of dollars on sole-source contracts for soft-sided tents to process and manage a Biden policy-driven crisis. 

And if that wasn’t bad enough, we were sending hundreds of millions to non-governmental organizations to facilitate the entry of illegal aliens into the country on a massive scale. The turn around that the Trump administration has orchestrated on the border has been profound.  What was once a border in chaos with record levels of encounters has quickly turned into the lowest numbers of crossings in recorded history. 

Thank you, Chairman Valadao, and thank you to Ranking Member Espaillat, Ranking Member DeLauro, and to all the members of the subcommittee for being with us today.

I’d like to begin by associating myself with all of Chairman Valadao’s opening statements. 

Violence has no place in our nation – not in our politics, not in our communities, and not in our values.

The targeted attacks in Minnesota were heartbreaking and deeply disturbing. We stand with the victims, their families, and all those affected as they face this difficult time.

Moments like this are a stark reminder of the responsibility we carry on this subcommittee—and we will not neglect our duty to safety and security. It’s why the legislation before us enhances resources for the House Sergeant at Arms and US Capitol Police. It supports the safety of constituents, staff, and members – both in the Capitol complex and during in-district proceedings.

I am pleased to introduce the Fiscal Year 2026 Legislative Branch Appropriation bill for the subcommittee’s consideration.

I’d like to begin by thanking our subcommittee Members in attendance for their input and support throughout the hearing season and during the formulation of the bill we present for consideration this evening. I’d like to specifically thank Ranking Member Espaillat for his contributions and valuable insights.

This bill provides $5 billion – a 5.3 percent decrease from the Fiscal Year 2025 enacted House level. As the legislative branch, we believe it is our responsibility to lead by example and make responsible funding decreases where appropriate.

I want to take a moment to recognize the tragic events that took place in Minnesota since Congress was last in session. Political violence has no place in our country, and I continue to pray for the victims and those grieving the loss of their loved ones.