Granger Remarks on FY21 Appropriations Package and Additional Coronavirus Relief
Dec 21, 2020
Statements
Today, Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Lead Republican for the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks on the fiscal year 2021 appropriations package and additional coronavirus relief.
"Mister Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill that will provide funding for the Federal Government through the end of this fiscal year, as well as provide another round of desperately needed relief for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The appropriations package we will consider today is critical because it will allow us to:
"Mister Speaker, I rise today in support of this bill that will provide funding for the Federal Government through the end of this fiscal year, as well as provide another round of desperately needed relief for those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
The appropriations package we will consider today is critical because it will allow us to:
- prevent an unnecessary government shutdown, and
- avoid a wasteful continuing resolution that simply straight-lines funding until the end of next year.
This bill makes us safer by ensuring we have the funding and the tools necessary to both discourage our enemies and defend ourselves against them.
The funds provided in this bill are also critical to continue the fight against public health threats both at home and abroad.
And the bill ensures that long-standing provisions to protect life, reduce burdensome regulations, and preserve our way of life are retained.
I would like to highlight some specific programs in the appropriations package.
The funds provided in this bill are also critical to continue the fight against public health threats both at home and abroad.
And the bill ensures that long-standing provisions to protect life, reduce burdensome regulations, and preserve our way of life are retained.
I would like to highlight some specific programs in the appropriations package.
- This bill supports another significant increase for the National Institutes of Health, including funding for vital research on Alzheimer’s disease and to find cures for cancer.
- It provides more than a half a billion dollars for NASA to help maintain our superiority in space – and we will need to continue to do more in future years to establish a sustainable presence on the moon.
- The bill also funds the U.S. Space Force so the United States has a leading edge against China and Russia.
- The bill keeps us safe by providing the same level of funding as last year for the border wall. It also rolls back attempts to limit the President’s authority to provide additional funds if needed.
- And the bill continues to rebuild our military, modernize our nuclear weapons stockpile, and strengthen our allies such as Israel.
This bill strongly supports our veterans and our troops by:
- increasing pay for our military;
- addressing the health care needs of our brave warfighters and their families, as well as for those who previously served; and
- ensuring that the United States Military has cutting-edge equipment, such as the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the V-22 Osprey, so that we can discourage and take on any fight against our enemies.
The bill retains long-standing Second Amendment and pro-life protections that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle wanted to eliminate.
In fact, it secures the largest pro-life victory in a generation by maintaining the Trump Administration’s Title X Family Planning regulations.
It drops the dangerous policy provisions my colleagues on the other side of the aisle included in the House bills – including riders aimed at defunding the police.
And billions of dollars of unnecessary emergency spending that the Majority included in their bills is stripped away in this package.
Many of these provisions were considered poison pills that were opposed by Republicans and the White House.
Also before us today is another round of coronavirus relief. Specifically, this package will:
In fact, it secures the largest pro-life victory in a generation by maintaining the Trump Administration’s Title X Family Planning regulations.
It drops the dangerous policy provisions my colleagues on the other side of the aisle included in the House bills – including riders aimed at defunding the police.
And billions of dollars of unnecessary emergency spending that the Majority included in their bills is stripped away in this package.
Many of these provisions were considered poison pills that were opposed by Republicans and the White House.
Also before us today is another round of coronavirus relief. Specifically, this package will:
- ensure the timely distribution of vaccines across the country;
- help small businesses affected by the economic downturn; and
- provide much-needed relief for airports and the airline industry, which is so important for thousands of hardworking Texans in and around my district.
I am glad we were able to come together on this agreement today, and I want to thank my colleagues Mrs. Lowey, Senator Shelby, and Senator Leahy for working together in good faith.
Plain and simple: this package is good for our economic security and our national security because it addresses the most pressing threats we face as a country. I hope it will be supported.
I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time."
Plain and simple: this package is good for our economic security and our national security because it addresses the most pressing threats we face as a country. I hope it will be supported.
I urge my colleagues to join me in voting in favor of this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time."