House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen made the following statement regarding the partial government shutdown:

“It is deeply disappointing that Congress was unable to reach a compromise that would have prevented this destabilizing, unnecessary, partial government shutdown right before the holidays. I urge House and Senate leadership—Democrat and Republican—and the White House to come together and find a deal that will reopen the government, provide much-needed border security funding, and help Americans recover from recent natural disasters—as quickly as possible.”

The lapse in appropriations affects 25 percent of the federal government, including funding for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Treasury, State, and Homeland Security, as well as the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the federal judiciary, and other related government programs.

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The United States House of Representatives today passed a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to prevent a government shutdown and continue funding for critical federal programs and services through February 8, 2019.

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

“As I have stated many times, a Continuing Resolution is a last resort when it comes to funding the federal government. But I do not support a government shutdown under any circumstances. This measure keeps our government open for six additional weeks to allow the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House additional time to reach an agreement on our remaining Appropriations work.

“In addition, this legislation fulfills our commitment to help Americans suffering in the wake of natural disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, and typhoons. By providing funding and resources for critical recovery and relief programs, Congress is helping our fellow Americans get back on their feet. Lastly, this legislation reflects the House position on border security by providing $5 billion in funding for the construction of physical barriers at our borders.

“I now urge the Senate to pass this Continuing Resolution and prevent a government shutdown.”

The CR covers 25 percent of the federal government, and include funding for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Treasury, State, and Homeland Security, as well as the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the federal judiciary, and other related government programs.

In addition, it provides $5 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Procurement, Construction, and Improvements for the construction of physical barrier system at U.S. borders, available until September 30, 2023. It also provides $7.81 billion in additional supplemental appropriations for disaster relief to help communities across the country recover from devastating wildfires, hurricanes, volcano and earthquake damage, and typhoons. This funding will help offset agricultural losses, support programs to rebuild housing and infrastructure, and repair and replace damaged federal facilities and equipment.

The legislation continues all policy and funding provisions included in the current CR (H.J. Res. 143), which expires this Friday, December 21. The CR also includes a limited number of additional provisions needed to prevent catastrophic, irreversible, or detrimental changes to government programs, to support national security and public health, and to make technical adjustments.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 695, a bill making further additional continuing Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2019.

This measure keeps our government open until February 8, 2019, and prevents a costly, destabilizing government shutdown.

This Continuing Resolution reflects the House position on border security and provides $5 billion for the construction of physical barriers at our borders.

This is the same amount that was provided in the Homeland Security funding bill approved by the Appropriations Committee back in July.

In addition, this legislation includes $7.8 billion in supplemental funding for disaster relief. Congress has always been responsive to hurricanes, wildfires, typhoons, and other natural disasters, and we must continue to do so to help our fellow Americans as they rebuild their lives and livelihoods.

I don’t support a government shutdown, and I never have. Americans deserve stability and predictability of a government that is 100 percent operational.

I would have much preferred to complete negotiations on our remaining seven bills with our Senate counterparts, but several very challenging issues remain.

As I’ve stated many times, a Continuing Resolution is a last resort when it comes to funding the federal government.

I urge my colleagues to vote yes on this bill, and I urge the Senate to do the same.

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House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen gave the following statement on the introduction of a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to prevent a government shutdown and continue funding for critical federal programs and services until February 8, 2019: 

“While I would have preferred to see the year end with the completion of all 12 Appropriations bills, at this point, we must move forward with a Continuing Resolution to keep the government running and fund basic services American families rely on. 

“This year, we made great strides to get back to regular order – in fact funding nearly 75 percent of the government on time for the first time in over two decades – and that progress was incredibly important for national security and other critical priorities. I had hoped to continue this work with the remaining 25 percent of the federal government.

“However, as we’ve clearly seen over the past several weeks, there is still a broad ideological divide when it comes to securing our borders. Despite these differences of opinion, we all agree that a government shutdown is unacceptable. This measure gives the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House additional time to come to a responsible compromise that puts the security of our nation first.”

The Continuing Resolution extends funding through February 8, 2019, for the remaining seven Appropriations bills that have not yet been enacted into law.

These bills comprise 25 percent of the federal government, and include funding for the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Justice, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Interior, Treasury, State, and Homeland Security, as well as the Food and Drug Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the federal judiciary, and other related government programs.

The legislation continues all policy and funding provisions included in the current Continuing Resolution (H.J. Res. 143), which expires this Friday, December 21. The includes extensions (through the duration of the new CR) of: the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA); the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; the Pesticide Registration Improvement Renewal Act (PRIA); the National Flood Insurance Program; and certain immigration programs, including E-Verify, H2-B, and EB-5.

The CR also includes a limited number of additional provisions needed to prevent catastrophic, irreversible, or detrimental changes to government programs, to support national security and public health, and to make technical adjustments. These include:

• An extension of the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Act (for the duration of the CR);
• An extension of two expiring provisions of the Pandemic All-Hazards Preparedness Act (for the duration of the CR); and
• Extensions of critical Medicaid provisions (through March 31, 2019).

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House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen today released the following statement after Rep. Kay Granger was approved by the House Republican Conference to serve as Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee for the 116^th Congress.

“My colleagues on the Appropriations Committee and I offer our heartfelt congratulations to Kay Granger, who will be the next Ranking Member of this important Committee. Kay has been an extremely valuable and hard-working Member of Congress for over 20 years. She understands the federal budget and Appropriations process – and the politics behind it – on a deep and comprehensive level gained by years of experience and dedication. She is not afraid to confront challenges or get to the bottom of complex issues, while also taking the time to see all sides. I am proud to be leaving the helm of the most important Committee in Congress in her extremely capable hands, and wish her much success in the next Congress.”

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House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen today made the following statement regarding Hurricane Michael, which made landfall in the U.S. yesterday as a Category 4 hurricane:

“Congress has watched with deep concern as Hurricane Michael struck the coast of Florida – one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the United States in decades – and we continue to track the storm as it continues its projected path through Georgia and South Carolina. Congress has a proud tradition of supporting our fellow Americans in their times of greatest need, particularly following a natural disaster of this magnitude, and we will ensure that resources are available to help with recovery and rebuilding efforts.

“The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) currently has sufficient funds for immediate disaster response thanks to prior action from Congress, and the Appropriations Committee continuously monitors both funding levels and disaster response requirements and estimates. Should the need arise, my Committee is prepared to act quickly. I am grateful to the first responders, FEMA, and other federal agencies for their work on the ground to help those in crisis. Our thoughts are with those affected by this and other hurricanes, and we urge all in the storm’s continued path to stay safe.”

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The President today signed an Appropriations “minibus” funding bill which  includes the Department of Defense (DOD), the Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) and Education Appropriations bills for fiscal year 2019, as well as a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to temporarily fund remaining government programs until December 7, 2018. The legislation is now enacted into law. 

Notably, with the completion of this package, Congress will have approved 75% of all annual discretionary funding prior to the end of the fiscal year on September 30 – a critical step in returning to the regular federal funding process, and an achievement that has not occurred in over two decades. This is also the first time in over 20 years that Congress has passed a LHHS bill prior to the end of the fiscal year, and the first time in over 10 years it has passed a DOD bill prior to the end of the fiscal year.

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

“The Republican Leadership in the House and Senate and the Appropriations Committees have strived to return to the regular order of passing government funding bills. With the signing of this package today, Congress will have enacted the majority of all discretionary spending for the year – 75% – prior to the end of the fiscal year, an accomplishment that hasn’t occurred in over two decades.

“Even more importantly, this legislation will provide for our national defense, including an additional $17 billion to continue to rebuild our military and ensure our warfighters are ready for any threat, as well as 2.6% pay raise for our troops. It also ensures continued investments in the health, safety, educational, and economic well-being of our nation.

“This budgetary progress, and the stability and predictability it brings to our Armed Forces and other agencies, is the fiscally responsible way to fund these federal programs on behalf of the American people,” Chairman Frelinghuysen said.

The legislation signed today also includes a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the federal government open and operational until all the remaining Appropriations bills can be signed into law. This extension will run until December 7, 2018, and covers the areas of the federal government not covered by this minibus or prior Appropriations legislation that the President signed into law on September 21. Negotiations on the rest of the funding bills are currently ongoing.

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The U.S. House today approved an Appropriations “minibus” funding bill, which  includes the Department of Defense (DOD), the Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) and Education Appropriations bills for fiscal year 2019, as well as a short term Continuing Resolution (CR) to temporarily fund remaining government programs until December 7, 2018. The legislation will now be sent to the White House for final approval.

Notably, with the completion of this package, Congress will have approved 75% of all annual discretionary funding prior to the end of the fiscal year on September 30 – a critical step in returning to the regular federal funding process, and an achievement that has not occurred in over two decades. This is also the first time in over 20 years that Congress has passed a LHHS bill prior to the end of the fiscal year, and the first time in over 10 years it has passed a DOD bill prior to the end of the fiscal year.

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

“Congress has no greater duty than to provide for our Common Defense. This legislation fulfills that this critical responsibility. The Department of Defense is now set to receive its full funding on time for the first time in over ten years. Providing this stability and predictability to our military leaders is a necessary and welcome step as we rebuild our Armed Forces.

“In addition, the legislation funds human service 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 government shutdown, and allow for time for work on the remaining funding bills to be completed.”

In addition, in separate legislation, the House approved $1.68 billion in emergency relief funding related to Hurricane Florence. The funds are targeted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Fund for the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) programs. This funding will support Hurricane Florence recovery efforts from catastrophic wind and flooding that caused many deaths and tremendous damage. This includes resources to rebuild housing, infrastructure, and assistance to local and family businesses as they recover from damage caused by the hurricane.

“Our thoughts are with those affected by Hurricane Florence – particularly those who have lost their homes, their livelihoods, and their loved ones. While there are sufficient funds for the immediate response, it is our duty to ensure that federal agencies are well-equipped to support ongoing and future recovery efforts,” Chairman Frelinghuysen said. “This legislation provides a first round of assistance for the residents of North and South Carolina who must rebuild their lives in the wake of this disaster. The Appropriations Committee continues to monitor Hurricane Florence and other natural disasters closely, and is fully prepared to take swift action if more funding is necessary.”

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present the Conference Report for H.R. 6157.

This Conference Report provides full-year funding for the Department of Defense, and for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies. It also includes a Continuing Resolution through December 7, 2018, for federal government programs and agencies not covered by enacted Appropriations legislation.

Congress has no greater duty than to provide for our Common Defense. This legislation fulfills that this critical responsibility. The Department of Defense is now set to receive its full funding on time for the first time in over a decade.

Providing this stability and predictability to our military leaders is a necessary and welcome step as we rebuild our Armed Forces. For far too long, their dedication to duty has been weakened by declining and uncertain budgets.

Congress has turned that around – beginning with significant investments in last year’s Omnibus, and continuing this year with an additional $17 billion in base funding for the Department of Defense.   

In total, this Conference Report provides $674.4 billion for our military – consistent with the levels authorized by the NDAA.

This funding ensures our troops have the resources they need to defend our nation and succeed in their global missions. This includes funding to sustain ongoing Overseas Contingency Operations and to support increased troop levels.

It also ensures our warfighters have the training, readiness programs, and other resources needed to prepare for their missions – and a pay raise of 2.6 percent.

This Conference Report also replenishes our military might – investing $148 billion in new and modernized equipment and weapons platforms, and $96.1 billion for research and development to improve the lethality, effectiveness, and safety of our defense systems.

In addition to this critical funding for our national defense, this legislation also includes funding for vital domestic programs.

The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill provides $178 billion for programs that protect the health, education, and labor standards that all Americans deserve.

Funding is directed to programs that have wide national benefit. The National Institutes of Health receives a $2 billion increases to bolster its life-saving research.

Notably, funding to fight the opioid abuse epidemic receives historic levels of funding, totaling $6.6 billion. This will support treatment, prevention, research, and other efforts to end this national crisis.

Another top priority is increased funding to keep our children safe in schools. This includes funding for mental health and other protective measures.

Lastly, the Labor, HHS bill invests in our future, creating economic opportunity and helping students get ahead and be part of a well-trained, 21^st Century workforce.

In addition to these two Appropriations bills, the Conference Report includes a Continuing Resolution for the remaining areas of the federal government not covered by this or our previous bills that have already been signed into law. This will assure that the government stays open for business.

Upon enactment of this legislation, Congress will have provided full-year funding for three quarters of the federal government.

But there is still more work to be done on our remaining Appropriations bills.

For those bills, the Continuing Resolution extends current levels of funding through December 7, 2018, with a few minor, technical adjustments. This will allow Congress time to complete our work on the remaining bills – as we intend to do.

Mr. Speaker, this legislation is yet another step forward on our goal of returning to “regular order” and fully funding the federal government for the 2019 fiscal year.

It is the product of months of hard work on the parts of our Conference Committee – led by Chairwoman Granger and Chairman Cole, along with Ranking Member Visclosky and Ranking Member DeLauro.

I also want to thank the Committee’s Ranking Member Mrs. Lowey and our Senate counterparts for their commitment to completing our Appropriations work.

This Conference Report would not be on the floor today without the Appropriations Committee’s dedicated professional and associate staff. I extend my deepest gratitude for their dedication, service, and hard work.

I urge my colleagues to vote “yes” on the Conference Report.

I reserve the balance of my time.

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House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen made the following statement on legislation containing emergency supplemental funding to help in the recovery efforts from Hurricane Florence, which was introduced Saturday as H.R 302.

The bill provides $1.68 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Fund for the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) programs. This funding will support recovery efforts from catastrophic wind and flooding damage caused by Hurricane Florence, including resources to rebuild housing, infrastructure, and assistance to local businesses as they recover from damage caused by the hurricane.

“The Appropriations Committee continues to monitor the damage caused by Hurricane Florence, particularly as the flood waters continue to rise. While the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has sufficient funds with which to respond to this disaster, we are prepared to take swift action to provide what more may be needed. I commend the first responders, FEMA, and other federal agencies who are working quickly to support the affected communities.”

The funding in this legislation will be provided as block grants to states, and will not duplicate funds provided by FEMA, the Small Business Administration, or private insurance.

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