The House Appropriations Committee today filed a two-bill Appropriations “minibus” funding bill, which has been approved by a joint House and Senate Conference Committee. This Conference Report includes the Department of Defense, and the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bills for fiscal year 2019.

This package of bills also includes a short-term “Continuing Resolution (CR),” which will provide continued funding to keep the federal government operating until all yearly Appropriations funding bills can be signed into law. The CR merely extends current levels of funding for federal agencies until December 7, 2018.

House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen made the following statement on the legislation:

“We owe it to the American people and to our men and women of our Armed Forces to provide the resources needed to protect our nation from both current and future threats, and to ensure that our military remains the strongest in the world. This legislation fully supports our warfighters and their families, and continues our efforts to rebuild our military after years of under-funding and neglect. When this bill is signed into law, it will mark the first time in over 20 years that the Department of Defense will have its full yearly appropriation prior to the end of the fiscal year.

“In addition, the legislation funds critical programs that will protect and save lives both now and in the future, This includes investments in vital National Institutes of Health research to cure diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s, job training, college preparation, special education programs, programs to combat opioid abuse, school safety, and protections against pandemics and bio-threats.

“This package also includes a short term Continuing Resolution to keep the federal government open and operational until all 12 Appropriations bills can be signed into law. This will avoid the threat of any shutdown, and allow for time for work on the remaining funding bills to be completed.”

This package represents the next step made by the House and Senate to return to “regular order” – which means completing all 12 funding bills through the normal legislative process and enacting them into law. Further, when the Energy and Water (which includes Department of Defense nuclear security activities) and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (passed as part of the Conference Report for H.R. 5895), and this Defense Appropriations bills are signed into law, it will be the first time in more 20 years that the Department of Defense will have its full annual funding enacted before the end of the current fiscal year.

Bill Highlights:

Defense Appropriations –

• Provides a total of $674.4 billion in funding, which is consistent with the National Defense Authorization Act of 2019. It continues to rebuild the military with a boost of $17 billion above the fiscal year 2018 level in base discretionary funding.
• Of the total, the bill includes $67.9 billion for ongoing Overseas Contingency Operations and Global War on Terror efforts.
• Supports our warfighters by including the authorized 2.6% pay raise for our troops – the largest such pay raise in nine years.
• Boosts troop levels – supports 1,338,100 active-duty troops and 817,700 Guard and Reserve troops and meets the requested 16,400 end-strength increase.
• Cares for our troops, military families, and retirees by including $34.4 billion for the Defense Health Program.
• Includes funding above the request for cancer research, traumatic brain injury and psychological health research, and sexual assault prevention and response.
• Replenishes our military might by providing $148 billion for equipment procurement and $96.1 billion for research and development into new defense systems and technologies.

Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations –

• Includes vital funding for the National Institutes of Health – $39 billion, an increase of $2 billion – for research to cure diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s.
• Funds programs to protect against health threats such as pandemics and bio-threats, providing $7.9 billion for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and $2 billion to prepare for and prevent public health and social services emergencies with programs such as biomedical research, acquisition of medical supplies and vaccines, and hospital preparedness grants.
• Saves taxpayers $50 million in future appropriations by creating the first Infectious Diseases Rapid Response Reserve Fund, where funds only become available for use in the event of a future public health emergency. 
• Encourages economic growth with funding for job training programs and grants, Job Corps, and veterans employment services.
• Prepares the next generation through education programs, including college preparation and Pell grant funding, special education programs, pre-school grants, charter schools, and state support and achievement grants.
• Helps to combat the opioid epidemic by providing $6.7 billion, a historic level of funding, for programs that fight, treat, and stop substance abuse and support access to mental health services. This includes $5.7 billion for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a $584 million increase. This will fund activities authorized under the 21^st Century Cures Act and other addiction and recovery programs. The legislation also provides increases for State opioid response grants and criminal justice programs such as drug courts.
• Improves school safety by investing $1.5 billion in the Department of Education and HHS.

For more detailed information on these Appropriations bills, please visit: www.appropriations.house.gov/legislation.

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The U.S. House today approved a three-bill Appropriations “minibus” funding bill, moving this critical legislation one step closer to enactment well before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. The package of bills, the final product of negotiations between the House and the Senate, includes funding for the Energy and Water, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Legislative Branch Appropriations bills for fiscal year 2019. The legislation will now be sent to the White House for approval.

This package of three funding bills, totaling $147.5 billion in discretionary funding, will mark the first time in more than 10 years that Congress has sent more than one Appropriations bill to the President’s desk prior to the end of the fiscal year. This represents a significant effort made by the House and Senate to return to “regular order” – which means completing all 12 funding bills through the normal legislative process and enacting them into law.

House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen made the following statement on the package of bills:

“First and foremost, this legislation will advance our national security efforts by providing essential funding for our nuclear security needs, resources for our military personnel and families, and improvements to U.S. bases both here and abroad to prepare for and meet any threat to our country. It also meets our commitment to our veterans, providing the highest dollar amount ever to the Department of Veterans Affairs and boosting programs to care for those that have bravely fought and served. 

“This three-bill package is a long overdue, critical step in getting the annual funding work done on time. This is the first time in over a decade that we have gotten this far along in the Appropriations process before the end of the fiscal year, and it is our intention to continue this progress and push forward to fund the rest of the federal government responsibly and in ‘regular order.’”

For more information, please visit: www.appropriations.house.gov/legislation.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present the Conference Report for H.R. 5895.

This Conference Report includes the Energy and Water; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; and Legislative Branch Appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2019. It is the product of months of negotiations between the House and the Senate. 

This Conference Report is a responsible compromise that addresses shared priorities – funding for national programs that benefit all Americans, including national security, energy development programs and water resources infrastructure, care for veterans, and operations of the Legislative Branch.

Critically, this Conference Report represents the next step toward fully funding the federal government for Fiscal Year 2019.

This is the first time since Fiscal Year 2017 that Congress will have passed any Appropriations bill before the end of the fiscal year, and the first time in well over a decade – since Fiscal Year 2007 – that Congress will be sending more than one Appropriations bill to the President’s desk before September 30.

We have done our best to repair a broken Appropriations process.

This is a welcome, and long overdue, return to regular order, and fulfills our promise to the American people to deliver results.

Passage of this legislation also provides certainty to the federal government – most importantly for our troops and their families who rely on military infrastructure to sustain their quality of life and accomplish their missions, and for our veterans, who deserve full access to their benefits and health care.

It is my sincere hope that we will continue this progress with the consideration of additional Conference Reports.

The Energy and Water portion of the report provides $44.6 billion for Department of Energy, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the Department of Defense’s nuclear programs.

Investments in national security programs helps our nation maintain its strongest possible nuclear deterrence posture, supports our Navy’s nuclear-powered fleet, and keeps nuclear materials out of the hands of terrorists.

The bill directs much-needed funds to water resources infrastructure across the country, improving public health and safety, advancing our economic interests, and keeping America “open for business.”

And the bill target funds to an array of Energy programs that support our goal of energy independence.

The Military Construction and Veterans Affairs portion of the report totals $98.1 billion in discretionary funding. This includes the largest dollar amount ever for the Department of Veterans Affairs - $86.5 billion – a substantial investment that will improve access to and quality of care for our veterans.

Importantly, this includes additional funding for the VA MISSION Act, and will support ongoing care for our veterans through community care centers, caregivers, and other medical services. This funding is provided within the existing discretionary spending caps.

Also, the bill provides strong investments for our Defense infrastructure and military installations.

This will support the rebuilding of our Armed Forces, help counter threats and aggression abroad, and support our troops and military families at home and abroad.

The third portion of this Conference Report includes the Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill. This legislation continues the operations of the Congress and its support agencies – ensuring that Members of Congress are able to best serve the American people.

Within the total of $4.8 billion provided for both the House and Senate, funding is prioritized for security and safety within the Capitol Complex, including increases for the Capitol Police.

The legislation helps the Legislative Branch improve its functions – from supporting the Office of Employee Advocacy, to modernizing the Library of Congress’s information technology, to maintaining accountability.

Of note, for the first time, we have included dedicated funding for paid internships, which will allow more young Americans and students from all backgrounds to serve Congress.

I want to express gratitude to the Chairs and Ranking Members of the three Subcommittees that spearheaded this legislation: Energy and Water Chairman Simpson of Idaho; Ranking Member Kaptur of Ohio; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Chairman Carter of Texas; Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz of Florida; Legislative Branch Chairman Fortenberry of Nebraska; and Ranking Member Ryan of Ohio.

Along with all our conferees. I also want to thank Ranking Member Lowey for her service and support of the Appropriations process.

Lastly, I’d like to thank the Appropriations Committee’s hard-working professional and associate staff. Over the past several months, they have been working – without a break – to complete negotiations and get this Conference Report and other Reports to the floor.

Particularly, I’d like to thank: Nancy Fox, Maureen Holohan, Shannon O’Keefe, Jason Gray, Marta Hernandez, Tammy Hughes, Rachel Kahler, Parker Van de Water, and Tom Doelp in the Front Office; Angie Giancarlo, Loraine Heckenberg, Perry Yates, and Amy Murphy on the Energy and Water Subcommittee; Sue Quantius, Sarah Young, and Kiya Batmanglidj from the MilCon/VA Subcommittee; Jenny Panone and Tim Monahan from the Legislative Branch Subcommittee; along with Shalanda Young, Chris Bigelow, Jaime Shimek, Matt Washington, and Adam Berg from the Minority; and finally, Katie Hazlett, Austin Bone, Steve Silvestri, Chris Hansell, and Kacy Hobbis in my personal office.

Support for this Conference Report today indicates that Congress is willing and able to get its work done on behalf of the American people – on time, under regular order, and within our set budget limits.

I urge a “yes” vote on this Conference Report. 

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House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen gave the following statement before the House-Senate Conference Committee meeting on H.R. 6147, the third FY 2019 "minibus" Appropriations package, which includes the Interior, Financial Services, Agriculture, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding bills:

Good afternoon. Thank you all for being here today, and welcome back to many of you.

I am delighted to convene our third formal Conference Committee meeting for Fiscal Year 2019. We are making great strides toward returning to regular order and funding the federal government on time and within budget.

This would not be possible without the cooperation and partnership of Chairman Shelby, Ranking Member Leahy, and Ranking Member Lowey. I thank them for their dedication to this process and to getting our work done.

Congress is making progress on our Appropriations bills that hasn’t been seen in well over a decade. In fact, the House and Senate haven’t held a Conference meeting on the Interior bill since Fiscal Year 2009!

This is in part due to the hard work of the Conference Committee and our professional staff, who have negotiated and labored over the past month to bring this Conference Report before this Committee today.

This third package includes four Appropriations bills: Interior; Financial Services; Agriculture and Rural Development; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development.

This will fund necessary programs that bolster economic growth, create jobs, ease congestion in our roads, rails, ports, and skies, and improve essential infrastructure in communities across the country.

It will also preserve and promote our natural resources, ensure our national parks and public lands remain accessible, support American farmers and ranchers, and strengthen judicial functions and our financial sector.

Notably, this package also will contain significant funding to prevent and fight wildfires, which have devastated millions of acres in the West this summer alone.

Both the House and the Senate share these priorities, and that has helped us reach a compromise on many aspects of this legislation.

While we haven’t seen eye to eye on everything, I know our final package will reflect common American values and support the programs that benefit all Americans.

Again, I would like to thank the members of the Conference Committee – particularly the Chairs and Ranking Members of the four subcommittees.

I am glad to see us continuing progress on Appropriations legislation in this fashion – working side by side to get our work done the right way.

If we continue in this direction, with widespread support from our Colleagues and the President, we will fund nearly 90% of the federal government – and hopefully before the end of the fiscal year.

It’s been a long time since the American people have seen the Appropriations process function successfully, and I’m proud we’re delivering these results today.

Thank you.

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Good morning. Thank you all for being here today.

I am pleased we’re meeting today at our second formal Conference Committee meeting of the year. This meeting represents yet another step toward our return to regular order.

I know that Chairman Shelby, Ranking Member Leahy, and Ranking Member Lowey share my commitment to regular order, and I want to thank them for their partnership as we continue this process.

We are considering three items this morning: the Defense Appropriations bill for FY 2019; the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill for FY 2019; and the continuing resolution.

In front of each of you is the full set of conference notes for each of the two bills noting the matters in disagreement between the two bodies. We have reached resolution on all items and completed our work on these bills.

The dispositions of each item are annotated in the notes before you, as well as the annotated bill text in the side-by-side comparison.

The one additional matter for consideration by the conferees is the Continuing Resolution. A section-by-section summary of the CR is before you. It is merely a continuation of current levels, with a few minor, technical adjustments. The CR duration is through December 7, 2018, allowing us time to complete our work on the remaining bills – as we intend to do.

Earlier this week, the House filed the first “minibus” Conference Report for the 2019 Fiscal Year, which I expect the House to pass later today.

We continue that forward momentum today as we meet on the Fiscal year 2019 Department of Defense, and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bills.

This is the necessary next step toward completing all our Appropriations bills as soon as possible, before the end of the fiscal year in just over two weeks.

And, I will note, this is the first time we’ve conferenced the Department of Defense bill since the 2007 Fiscal Year.

This is a tremendous step forward on our goal of returning to “regular order.” I thank all of you for your commitment to this process and this institution.

Providing for our national defense is Congress’s most important responsibility, but it is especially critical now.

Our Armed Forces have been weakened by years of declining and unstable budgets.

It is time that we provide our military – the greatest military in the world – with the resources they need to rebuild.

Both the House and the Senate bills laid strong groundwork for this, and through our negotiations, we will provide robust funding for our troops and the equipment and training that keep our nation secure.

In addition to funding the Department of Defense, it is also necessary that we fund critical domestic priorities.

The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill supports programs that protect the health, education, and labor standards that all Americans deserve.

Again, I want to thank the members of the Conference Committee – particularly Chairwoman Granger, Ranking Member Visclosky, Chairman Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, and their counterparts in the Senate – along with our hard-working staff, for their efforts that brought us to the table today.

I look forward to continuing this progress with the Conference meeting for our third “minibus” later today.

Thank you.

The following is the schedule for the Senate and House Committees on Appropriations for Thursday, September 13, 2018.

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE (House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen)

Joint House and Senate Conference Committee meeting on H.R. 6157, the minibus appropriations package which includes the Fiscal Year 2019 Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations legislation.

11:30 a.m., Room HC-5, The Capitol

CONFERENCE COMMITTEE (House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen)

Joint House and Senate Conference Committee meeting on H.R. 6147 the minibus appropriations package which includes the Fiscal Year 2019 Interior and Environment, Financial Services and General Government,  Agriculture, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations legislation.

1 p.m., Room HC-5, The Capitol

Note:  Media should arrive 15 minutes prior to the start time. Space is limited to one (1) per news organization. Members of the press should contact their respective media galleries for more information. Webcast will be available on appropriations.house.gov and appropriations.senate.gov.

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The House Appropriations Committee today filed a three-bill Appropriations “minibus” funding bill, which will head to the House floor for consideration this week. The joint House and Senate Conference Committee on the package have approved the legislation. The package of bills includes funding for the Energy and Water, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Legislative Branch Appropriations bills for fiscal year 2019.

This package of three funding bills will mark the first time in more than 10 years that Congress has sent more than one Appropriations bill to the President’s desk prior to the end of the fiscal year. This represents a significant effort made by the House and Senate to return to “regular order” – which means completing all 12 funding bills through the normal legislative process and enacting them into law.

“It is an absolute necessity that these key funding bills be approved by this Congress and signed into law. They provide resources for some of the most the important federal responsibilities, including our national defense, the care of our veterans, infrastructure improvements, and the proper functioning of the legislative branch of our democracy,” Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen said. “This Conference Report represents our strong commitment to returning to ‘regular order’ in government funding, and is a huge step toward completing all of our Appropriations bills as soon as possible while funding all aspects of government in a responsible way.”

Bill Highlights:

Energy and Water Appropriations –

• Supports a strong nuclear national security strategy with a total of $15.23 billion for the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons security programs, including the maintenance and readiness of the nuclear stockpile and Naval nuclear reactors.

• Increases funding for the nation's water resources infrastructure by directing $7 billion to the Army Corps of Engineers, an increase of $172 million, which will boost navigation and flood control improvements.

• Promotes economic competitiveness and energy independence by including $13.5 billion for energy programs, including protecting the safety of the nation’s electrical grid and investments in fossil and nuclear energy research.

• Includes the highest dollar level ever for the Department of Veterans Affairs – $86.5 billion discretionary funding – an increase of $5 billion. This includes funds for new and expanded Mission Act programs, increases in mental health services, modernizing the VA’s health records system, and addressing the claims backlog.

• Provides resources for improved infrastructure for our service members and their families – $10.3 billion for military construction projects, an increase of $241 million, including:
• Upgrades to infrastructure for deterrence operations and unique training requirements to counter challenges posed by Russia and threats from the Middle East and Africa;
• Increases for infrastructure and facilities construction and improvements on U.S. military bases; and
• Housing for all 1,400,000 military families currently served.

Legislative Branch Appropriations:

• Bolsters the safety and security of the Capitol Complex for Members, staff, and the thousands of guests who visit every day by increasing funds for the Capitol Police and security infrastructure improvements.

• Provides funding for the Office of Employee Advocacy, which provides legal consultation, representation, and assistance on allegations, claims, and complaints under the Congressional Accountability Act.

• Opens the door for Congressional service to students and young people of all economic backgrounds by dedicating funds for paid internships.

• Continues the Member of Congress pay freeze.

For more detailed information on each of these bills, please visit: https://appropriations.house.gov/legislation/

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The U.S. House of Representatives today announced the Members of Congress that will participate in the Conference Committee to finalize the Fiscal Year 2019 Interior and Environment, Financial Services, Agriculture, and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bills.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen made the following statement following the announcement of conferees:

“This Conference Committee is yet another signal of our commitment to return to regular order and fully fund the federal government on time,” Chairman Frelinghuysen said. “The four bills in this next tranche fund necessary programs that boost our economy, preserve and promote our natural resources, and support critical law enforcement functions. The members of the Conference Committee have worked hard – and will continue to do so – on behalf of the American people to ensure these programs are funded responsibly, and I expect that we will continue meaningful negotiations with the Senate over the next few weeks as we finalize this must-pass legislation.”

The GOP Members of the Conference Committee include:

• Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen
• Rep. Robert Aderholt
• Rep. Mike Simpson
• Rep. Ken Calvert
• Rep. Tom Cole
• Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart
• Rep. Tom Graves
• Rep. David Young
• Rep. John Rutherford

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Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding. It is a pleasure to meet as a formal Conference Committee.

I, alongside Ranking Member Lowey and our House colleagues, have appreciated the opportunity to work with you, Chairman Shelby, Vice Chairman Leahy, and all the Senate conferees over the past few months.

I want to commend Chairman Shelby and your Committee for the work you have done to get us to this point. Thanks to your leadership, we are all coming together this afternoon.

The bipartisan, bicameral “caps” agreement of 2018 has outlined our discretionary funding levels for two years, including significant increases for national defense and important investments in bipartisan domestic priorities, like infrastructure and addressing the opioid epidemic. With these in place, we laid the groundwork for a productive FY 2019 Appropriations cycle.

The three bills before us today fund a variety of critical federal programs and services, including national security, care for veterans, investments in power and water infrastructure, and the operations of the Legislative Branch.

These are some of our most important responsibilities to fulfill as Members of Congress, and we will continue to provide the resources they deserve.

We’ve made some difficult choices, but I believe we have successfully worked together in good faith to complete this package, and will continue to do so with our remaining nine bills. I expect that in the end, we’ll have legislative packages that we can successfully move through both chambers and to the President’s desk.

With that, I yield back to the Chair.

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The U.S. House of Representatives today announced the Members of Congress that will participate in the Conference Committee to finalize the Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bills for fiscal year 2019.

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen made the following statement following the announcement of conferees:

“Providing for our national defense is Congress’s most important responsibility. Our military leaders have called for a budget that will help rebuild and reform our Armed Forces after years of decline. It is up to us to provide the resources needed to preserve our status as the preeminent military in the world, and to support our men and women in uniform as they fulfill their missions,” Chairman Frelinghuysen said. “It is also necessary that we fund vital domestic programs that will protect the health of Americans and save lives both now and in the future, as well as help develop a vibrant American workforce.

“The members of the Conference Committee and I look forward to productive negotiations with our Senate counterparts on these two bills. Through these efforts, we will finalize this critical legislation and continue our push toward regular order in the Appropriations process.”

The GOP Members of the Conference Committee include:

• Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen
  
• Rep. Hal Rogers
  
• Rep. Robert Aderholt
• Rep. Kay Granger
• Rep. Ken Calvert
  
• Rep. Tom Cole
• Rep. Steve Womack
• Rep. Martha Roby

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