Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
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.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 3237 – a bill to provide funding for Capitol security and other purposes.
Unfortunately, after several weeks of discussions, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have chosen the path of partisanship instead of working together, and I want to explain how we ended up in this situation.
In January, the Speaker of the House directed a retired lieutenant general and his team to review security needs on the House side of the Capitol following the events of January 6th. This review was directed without even consulting House Republicans or the Senate.
Even though the review by General Honore began as a partisan effort, Members of the Appropriations Committee hoped things could get back on track and we could negotiate a funding agreement that could be supported by both parties in both chambers.
