Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Chairman Hal Rogers
H-310 The Capitol
(202) 225-3351
Majority | Minority |
| Hal Rogers – Chair | Grace Meng - Ranking Member |
| John Carter | Glenn Ivey |
| Ben Cline | Joe Morelle |
| Tony Gonzales | Madeleine Dean |
| Andrew Clyde | Frank Mrvan |
| Mark Alford | |
| Dale Strong – Vice Chair | |
| Riley Moore |
FY26 Outside Witness Testimony Instructions FY26 Member Day Hearing Instructions
Recent Activity
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7691, a bill that would provide additional assistance to Ukraine and other partners in the region.
Ten weeks ago, we witnessed Russia begin its attack on the sovereign nation of Ukraine.
To support Ukraine and our allies during this unprovoked, illegal, and appalling attack, Congress provided nearly 14 billion dollars in emergency funding through the fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills.
That funding has been crucial in Ukraine's efforts to fight back against Putin's evil invasion.
The bill before us today would provide roughly $40 billion in assistance to address the ongoing conflict.
With Russia continuing to take control of the country, more resources are needed to:
Mister Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2471, a bill that will provide funding for the Federal Government through the end of this fiscal year.
While it has taken us far too long to get here, I am glad we were able to produce a bill that includes many funding priorities that I support.
Since last summer, I have made it clear that House Republicans wouldn't oppose appropriations bills unless they:
- Increase defense spending,
- Restrain non-defense spending,
- Include all long-standing policy provisions, and
- Do not include any poison pill riders.
After months of negotiations, we reached a deal that meets all four of these criteria.
The bill before us:
Enacted Full-Year Legislation
H.R. 2471 - Omnibus
Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration
Defense
Commerce, Justice, and Science
Energy and Water Development
Madam Chair, thank you for yielding.
The revised spending allocations presented today contain only technical corrections to the initial allocations, which were adopted on a party-line vote two weeks ago.
Because there are no substantive changes from the initial allocations, I must once again oppose them.
They do not change the topline spending levels for any of the subcommittee bills – even though Members on my side of the aisle have consistently asked for bipartisan cooperation on funding levels.
These spending levels continue to short-change our national defense, while providing huge increases to domestic programs. Non-defense spending would increase by nearly 17% overall, and some agencies would receive unprecedented 30-40% increases above fiscal year 2021.
Underfunding our national defense while giving such extreme increases to domestic programs is unacceptable to Members on my side of the aisle.
Thank you, Madam Chair, for yielding.
Chairman Cartwright and Ranking Member Aderholt, thank you for your work on this Commerce, Justice, and Science appropriations bill.
I know both of you have worked together to address priorities of Members on both sides of the aisle.
Unfortunately, this year's bill is overshadowed by partisan politics and unbalanced spending priorities.
The difference of opinion on both issues could slow down our appropriations process this year, leaving us vulnerable at a time when we know our nation is facing increasing threats.
Instead of prioritizing these security challenges, this bill focuses on funding new, overlapping, and potentially duplicative programs that may not even be useful for our local communities.
WASHINGTON – Today, the full committee met to consider the fiscal year 2022 appropriations bills for the subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Commerce, Justice, and Science. Committee Republicans were unable to support the bills due to the total spending level and controversial policy provisions that are in the bills.
Chairman Cartwright, thank you for presenting the Fiscal Year 2022 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations bill.
I also want to recognize and thank my friend, the ranking member of the subcommittee, Mr. Aderholt.
I know both of you have worked together to address priorities of members on both sides of the aisle.
The Commerce-Justice-Science bill always supports initiatives that:
- Strengthen the ability of the United States to be competitive around the world,
- Invest in cutting-edge research and technology, and
- Protect children and our communities.
Unfortunately, this year's bill is overshadowed by partisan politics and unbalanced spending priorities.
This comes at a time when we know our nation is facing increasing threats on a daily basis, such as:
Madam Chair, thank you for yielding.
These spending allocations will increase discretionary spending by hundreds of billions of dollars to an all-time high of $1.5 trillion.
This nearly 9% increase above fiscal year 2021 comes at a time of record-high deficits and debt:
- This month, the national debt reached an astonishing $28.3 trillion.
- In the first 8 months of this fiscal year, we have already borrowed $2.1 trillion.
We must exercise fiscal responsibility and return to reasonable levels of federal spending, now that the pandemic hopefully is nearing an end.
Although these allocations do not show the exact split between defense and non-defense programs, we know the topline is based on the president's budget. Those numbers included an enormous, 17% increase to non-defense programs. At the same time, the president's budget cut defense spending to below inflation.
