Granger Remarks at FY23 Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee Markup

I want to thank Chairman Quigley for presenting the fiscal year 2023 Financial Services and General Government appropriations bill. I also want to recognize the work of the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Womack. 

As a result of the chairman and ranking member’s efforts, the bill before us includes many priorities of Members on both sides of the aisle, including:

• Support for small businesses;
• Drug control programs;
• And sanctions programs.

However, I am concerned that the spending in this bill is based on a funding level that passed the House without Republican support. The bill before us simply spends too much. Some programs receive double-digit and triple-digit percentage increases. 

Inflation is at historic levels, and we must find ways to reduce spending. Instead, this bill increases the size and scope of the federal government and does nothing to help Americans struggling with record-high costs. There are other serious issues with this bill that will prevent it from becoming law. 

It does not include long-standing pro-life provisions regarding the use of D.C. local funds and the Federal Employees Health Benefits program. There are also significant new policy riders related to immigration, radio and TV advertising for marijuana, and school choice for low-income students in the District of Columbia. 

As this process moves forward, we will continue to try to secure an agreement. We want language carried in the bills in the past to be retained, and controversial policies to be dropped. 

With that framework in place, we will work to reach a bipartisan consensus on funding levels that takes into account the national debt and does not further contribute to inflation.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I yield back.