Remarks

I thank my distinguished friend – and Vice Chair of the full committee – Chairman Díaz-Balart for the time. The Fiscal Year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs bill makes a clear statement about American leadership: We will engage where it matters. We will invest where it counts. And we will demand accountability for every dollar spent.

Mr./Madam Chair: I am pleased to present the Fiscal Year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs appropriations bill to the House for consideration and approval. Let me start by noting the untimely passing of our friend and colleague, Senator Lindsey Graham. As Chairman of the State-Foreign Operations Subcommittee in the Senate, we worked together closely on our top priority – national security. Senator Graham was a tough negotiator but always an honorable partner. He will be greatly missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family and staff.

I would like to welcome Administrator Loeffler before the Committee for the first time in her tenure and thank her for being here today. I also want to the thank the Chairman of the full committee for being here today and I’ll let his remarks speak for both of us. I will just say this - the breadth of SBA’s impact is extensive, and SBA plays a critical role in the growth and development of small businesses and ultimately to the economy of this country.

Thank you, Chairman Joyce, and thank you, Ranking Member Hoyer. Welcome, Administrator Loeffler for being here today – and thank you for appearing before us today and for your continued service to the nation. America has never lacked in entrepreneurial drive and innovative vision. What has made our country exceptional is our willingness to let that spirit flourish. From our earliest merchants to Main Street today, small businesses have created jobs, fueled growth, and expanded opportunity for generations.

I would like to welcome both Justice Kagan and Justice Coney Barrett and thank them for being here today. The last time a Supreme Court Justice appeared before the Committee was in 2019, and we are very excited to have you with us today. A great deal has changed over the last seven years. Technology, accessibility, and bad actors. The threat environment in particular facing our federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court, has changed substantially in recent years.

I would like to welcome Director Vought back and thank him for being here today. The Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, plays a central role in most of the decisions made in the Executive Branch, particularly as it relates to the federal budget.

Welcome back to the House, Secretary Mullin. I sincerely thank you for being here. The Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations process was, as some might say, less than ideal for the Department of Homeland Security. We had a bipartisan, bicameral agreement on the bill, until the situation in Minnesota. The Senate, in their infinite wisdom, took Homeland out of the minibus – leaving us on the battlefield.

I want to start by thanking Chairman Calvert for his leadership on this legislation and for his unwavering commitment to America's national defense. I also thank Ranking Member McCollum for her partnership throughout this process – as well as Ranking Member DeLauro for her continued engagement and leadership on the full committee.