Full committee
Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.
Today we consider the Fiscal Year 2013 appropriations bill for the Departments of Transportation and Housing & Urban Development. I would like to begin by thanking Chairman Latham, Ranking Member Olver, as well as staff on both sides, for the important work they've done to bring this job-creating legislation before the subcommittee today. I also want to give special thanks to Mr. Olver, as this will be his last subcommittee markup on this bill. I thank you for all you have done for this committee over the years.
Today we are meeting to consider the fiscal year 2013 transportation and housing and urban development bill.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5855, the Fiscal Year 2013 Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
After successfully thwarting several attempts at terrorist attacks in our skies, and eliminating the world's most heinous terrorist Osama bin Laden, we can agree our country is safer today than it was ten years ago.
But we face constant reminders that the war on terror is far from over. Our freedom isn't free, and we cannot skimp on our national security if we want to stay vigilant and – most importantly – safe.
I know that my colleagues feel the same way I do that one of the most gratifying, most rewarding parts of this extraordinary job that we're entrusted with in addition to being guardians of the Treasury, to being good stewards of the public's business, is to do everything in our power to help ensure that our men and women in uniform have all that they need to do their job as they stand guard and over this Nation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in every scary, dark corner of the world.
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H.R. 5854, the fiscal year 2013 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill.
Earlier this week, we celebrated Memorial Day – a day to commemorate those warfighters who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of our nation. I can think of no better bill to take up this week in honor of these heroes. We know the risks our troops take to fight for our freedom – and it is the duty of Congress to care for them accordingly.
The recommendation for FY 2013 provides $3.3 billion, excluding Senate items, which are traditionally left to the Senate to determine. This is a decrease of $34.4 million, or 1% from the FY 2012 enacted level and a decrease of $190 million, or 5.3% from the requested level.
Thank you, Chairman Crenshaw and Ranking Member Honda, for your comments and for your hard work on this Appropriations Bill. You and your staffs have put in a great deal of effort into drafting this legislation, and we appreciate it.
