Transcripts For CSPAN2 House Rules Committee Holds Meeting On Spending Bills 20170906

[inaudible conversations] thank you very much for joining us today, another fun day at the rules committee. Before we begin id like to take a moment and recognize the immense bravery and share will of the people of my state, the state of texas, who, and also for the people who are First Responders and volunteers and people across this country who have offered not only the prayers of support but a bunch of people who brought their boats with them, tried to help at the time our nation was in trouble here i would also like to say that the heroism that we witness shows i think the very best of this country and everybody pitched in together. Just walked in from watching this new storm that is out in the atlantic is the largest ever in the history of the recorded at that point, and it hasnt even hit warmer water yet. It is aiming for the United States of america. I would hate to say anyone state because we dont know. Its going to hit america. And the things that we do today are in audit of what we do know at the things that we pray for, also pray for the people of san juan and the people who are in the caribbean. And i know that mrs. Lauder and i just spoke very clearly about the anguish that on all of our hearts but with resolve and the result is that we care about people. We parte party begin the procese in congress of the value when the needs of the city of houston, and ive had a number of conversations all week. Included with chairman and mr. Mulvaney, the head office of management and budget as well as members of the texas delegation, and with our colleagues, lease the gentleman, the senator from texas, mr. Gordon. And each of these discussions cornyn. Have been for the safety of people but its also been about the necessary and correct hell. I know and you know that the texas delegation is hoping that we have bills the actual address only the storm. And that we have a Public Comment and conversations going on all the this country. I know about an unprecedented size but were going to work with everybody to address that issue and i want to thank each of you. Thank you for your recognition of this issue and working hard and the Committee Time that you take in. Today were going to consider rate to make america secure and prosperous appropriations act of 2018. This important legislation ensures that we here in the house are doing our job and a finding that on our military but also essential government programs. We are delighted to directly from that only the chairman but also one of my favorite members who is the Ranking Member from new york come really on the merits of not by this legislation but addressing overall the needs of the country. Will also be addressing amendment testimony on transportation, housing and urban Development Section of the bill. Amendment testimony on agricultural rural development, fda Agency Section of the bill and amendments that with the testimony on the state for operations and related programs section section of the bill. Want to be clear as officers are listening to what were trying to community can want to be clear that any member with amendment testimony to divisions d, e, g or h that are looking to testify should come before the rules committee this evening. Rules committee will be hearing testimony on the divisions b, e, g and h. Members can submit their animate testament in writing. This is not a requirement that you come up and speak about your amendment but it is to say thats the work were going to do the city. We will stay up all night if thats what it takes. I would also suggest that you could only like to have your words, the things which are provided testimony, we will take those also. So that is what we are attempting to do. Weve set aside this week. Mrs. Slaughter was aware of this and the rules committee had a discussion before we left. The advice then was asleep fast, and weve done that. Without further ado like to welcome chairman of the full committee, and Ranking Member [inaudible] i promise to do that come to the underlying legislation as well as chairman rogers and Ranking Member to speak on state and foreign ops division will also include my dear friend from georgetown, texas or round rock texas fashion which is it . Round rock texas. To speak on Homeland Security division bill and i know each of you put a lot of time in on this can looking for to testimony anything you have in writing will be entered with a projection but before we go for the id like to welcome the Ranking Member for any comments you like to make. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I want to say to our texas friends and all the other members of the house that what we witnessed was what was happening in texas was deeply hurtful to all of us. And i dont believe ive ever seen such bravery. I saw nobody crying, weeping, waving, whiny. The thing that worried me know and are just talking to people about it, until then small ones, two, three years old, not a whimper out of them. They came in on this boats and rescues, just as strong as they could be. Almost to start. Im a little bit worried about it because there was a lot of ptsd from children left over from katrina. We got to be very careful what if we need to do to help them survive and live with this. My hope, too, and obviously we want to be as generous as we can be, we want to do what we need to do, but my hope would be that texas will take the opportunity, houston come as a revealed that beautiful city that we that they would leave the floodplains alone. Theres a question i think, i know you may know what to go to Global Warming but i think sent permafrost is melting in alaska has some bearing on this case, but in any case, the ability for the sponges, natural sponges, building on all those floodplains can you taken that all the way and without a doubt exacerbate the problem. To get the best advice you can, texas, before you revealed and did the best job you can with the money and with hope you wont have to go to that suffering again. And i know needed shares as a watch the rescue conceals helicopters marked with new york. There were there as well as our National Guard. So we are proud of them as well as somebody else in america who really came together and who said were all in this with you, and thats very important for us to recall the thank you very much, mr. Chairman. Thanthank you very much. By the way id like to address if i can the cities at least of fort worth, dallas, austin and san antonio are pitching in to help thousands of people. And, in fact, as you speak doctor Richard Snyder who is one of the attending physicians who is there last night spoke to me about the need to make sure that we are providing good counseling for the children, people who are stressed out in the cities are very aware of this, but dr. Snyder did address that and recognize that. Secondly, i think were looking at houston, texas, has had three years in a row of once any 500 year floods. Thats an indication to us that we Better Change our modeling. And that modeling as you and i talked about would mean not rebuilding on floodplains that we know that exist three times, and by doubling that space for the Flood Control would lessen the ability for more floods. So which really a twosided equation and very, very important. Let me say one other thing, too, its been a my mind all day since i heard one of the casualties, the personal who died during the rescue was a daca supporter, a young man who stands be deported. He was out there doing his best for his fellow americans. A number of them. Yes, thank you. I will want to talk about the bill before. Okay. We need to make sure that [inaudible] all my god. Judge, happy birthday. Something good. [inaudible] [laughing] judge, i hope i make it. Happy birthday, and will find a way to celebrate. We will find a to celebrate. Thank you very much. Okay, i inadvertently made a mistake. Lucille, you are homeland Ranking Member and i got that wrong and for that i apologize. Okay, chairman, Ranking Member, were so glad that you are here, and the gentleman is regular. Thank you, mr. Chairman your mrs. Slaughter and members of the rules committee, thank you for having us back. Thank you for letting us testify on the make america secure and prosperous appropriations act, i think all of us extend our deepest sympathies to the residents and victims of texas and louisiana. I think all 50 states have contributed to the volunteer effort. Mai give a hats off to task force one, search and rescue from new jersey that was down there may i as he worked on 9 11 in lower manhattan. Were awfully proud of the human spirit and endeavor that will help texas, louisiana recover. Today i knew to seek an appropriate rules to provide for the proper consideration of this legislation which contains eight of the 12 appropriations bill. Briefly, told this bill provides 416. 3 billion in total base appropriations for many important domestic and National Security programs that support our economy, people american safe and healthy and preserve our position as a Global Leader because youre well aware because we been there before, on the other package this is a product that a months of hard work and input from every member. Mai say i think all the chairman and Ranking Members but especially nita lowey, the Ranking Member for great cooperation she is give me so we can expect these bills. Let me say in addition, amendment has been offered in this package that will address an issue with the underlying bill to ensure a that all funds within the Disaster Relief fund continue to be available for ongoing disaster recovery. I think thats important to all of us. So mr. Chairman, bill before you does fulfill our constitutional duty that we adequately and responsibly fund the entire federal government for each fiscal year. Legislation, Important National priority while respecting i respect it is a good, solid built and i like to thank all my colleagues for the hard work in putting it together and thinking that it has for the presentations before your committee. Both ranking and chairs. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Chairman, thank you very much. Ms. Lowey . Thank you, mr. Chairman, and thank you for always giving of such a gracious welcome. Its a pleasure for me to be here before the rules committee. Nita, we need to advise you can do need to come up on your birthday. We will take better care of you on your birthday. We dont know when that is. We will keep that a secret but you can wish me good wishes. Your 50th birthday, we need to celebrate a little bit. Every day you can say happy birthday to me. [inaudible] absolutely. [inaudible] my pleasure. You know, i have to just say, when you see the pain in the suffering on the one hand, and on the other, i was just glued to the bravery, the heroic actions on the part, not just the First Responders, but all the people rescuing the babies and the children and the seniors from nursing homes. So i think its time, whether we cook or we dont cook, its time to celebrate those extraordinary men and women. I was glued to it, and i feel proud, and i know were going to talk about numbers at some point, but i came home and said to my husband, i feel proud to be a citizen of the United States of america, and you know when there is a catastrophe like this, we can do something to help people. Im very proud to be here today to talk about it, and thank again all those people who were there with their kneehigh, waist high boots. It was really quite a sight. So on the one hand, you saw the pain and suffering, and on the other hand, use all really heroism at its very best. To me, im happy to be here with you all today. Okay, thank you for the opportunity to testify, and let me first say that the bill we will consider on the suspension calendar tomorrow i know will be a down payment help families and communities recover from Hurricane Harvey. And as we were saying, of course no amount of money can possibly replace loved ones homes. When you saw them taking out every bit of carpet, furniture and clothes and pictures. But not only thoughts and prayers, i know what a responsibility we have two not just pray for the victims and the loved ones who were lost, but to provide assistance. So on the bill we are here to consider, im going to be brief. We have our subcommittee rankings here today to discuss the relevant divisions, and most of my concerns during my last appearance in july remains to be eight appropriation bills we consider today. These bills are written, unfortunately, to partisan levels that undercut Economic Growth and priorities, some which families rely. The nondefense bills are below sequestration levels set and law. Be on the funding levels, they are chockfull of writers to which my side of the aisle as which i know you know has deeprooted opposition, like cutting funding for planned parenthood. If members of the majority are serious about governing, loading must pass spending bills with these policy writers is a sure way to fail. And while not surprising, it is nonetheless shocking that this package callously removes a bipartisan amendment from the committee passed bill that would allow dreamers to work for the federal government. I just want to make sure that alsall soaps in, because this ws bipartisan. It passed the committee and it is so callous and so cruel, its hard for me to see that this is part of this bill. Chairman sessions was clear last meeting that leadership as the authority to overturn the clear will of another committee by arbitrarily deleting language adopted through regular order. But my friends, and i would say this to my friends on both sides of the aisle, just because you can do something doesnt mean you should. Its an affront to the members of the Appropriations Committee, democrats and republicans, to the idea of regular order, and to this entire institution. This appropriation bill should be considered in the house separately under an open role to allow members of both parties the opportunity to have their constituents voices heard. Yet the rules committee took the highly unusual route of requiring amendments the submitted during the district work time in order to produce a structured rule that restricts the ability of members of both parties to offer amendments. Both parties have employed restrictive processes before, but it is not a tool that should be used without first trying to use an open process. And when the republicans were in the minority, my friends on the other side of the aisle, i do remember, complained bitterly about structured rules for appropriation bills. This process shuts down not only the minority, but also members of the majority whose amendments are opposed by their leadership. Members should have every opportunity to amend the bills. To that end, i hope the committee will make in order, sample and him and i submitted including one to strike the expansion of the global gag rule, and the ban on funding for the United Nations population fund. The expanded global gag rule is particularly egregious as it would apply to all Global Health assistance, tying up 8. 8 billion in funding for programs such as lifesaving nutrition programs and efforts to prevent malaria, tb and hiv. Prohibiting support to unfpa, expanding the global gag rules severely erode the progress weve made on both maternal and child health, and access to Family Planning services. My other amendments would offer democratic alternatives to the state and Foreign Operations Division of the bill, to rectify the most egregious cuts and strip out riders in the current version of the bill. As totally written, it is wholly inadequate to meet the many challenges facing the world, and less the plan is to employ the military instead of diplomacy. The allocation makes chairman rogers job impossible. Extremely difficult but impossible. By allowing the house to work through amendments to address the policy on the global gag rule, unfpa, Climate Change and allocation of resources, we can make real improvements to that division. In addition, i respectfully request the rules committee make in order other amendments i have submitted for consideration, including amendments that would prohibit the department of justice from using funds to obstruct special counsel robert molars investigation. I want to make sure thats heard. That would prohibit funds to be used to block the release of reports related to white supremacists, provide 1 million to support medical Fitness Standards for critical safety personnel on interstate railways, eliminate a policy rider and maintain current funding for title x Family Planning, protect conscious coverage for millions of american women and provide funding to the cdc for firearm injury prevention research. In conclusion, my final point before i conclude peace to say what we all know, to enact appropriation bills, you will need democratic votes. And, unfortunately, other than acknowledge that fact, these bills were drafted to appeal only to republicans. We only have 11 legislative days until we must sign appropriation bills into law or shut down the government. To meet our deadline, it is past time to engage the senate and the white house to pass legislation. That can actually be enacted. Yet the majority is once again tailoring to the far right, putting our economy and our reputation on the line again. So thank you again to all my friends, especially our chairman. I hope you will take these remarks very seriously. We all have an interest certainly on appropriations in moving these bills, and we know that there are changes that can be made, must be made to move the process forward. So thank you for giving me an opportunity, share my thoughts. Thank you very much. As always your words do matter. Your ideas behind them are powerful and your request is right, so thank you. Thank you very much. Chairman rogers, we recognize your here. The gentleman is recognized. Mr. Chairman, thank you for having us today. And like the others let me pass along our condolences to your colleagues and neighbors in texas. Houston has proven to be a city of good samaritans. Its amazing, as the others have said, to watch and neighbors taking care of neighbors, strangers taking care strangers. The First Responders, including Kentucky National guardsmen as well, and other first responde responders. Its truly an amazing story. I think perhaps the most amazing story to come out of this hurricane. In kentucky, the people are wanting to help and are helping. In fact, our university of kentucky basketball coach John Calipari just use his team, edited a telephone. You have to know how much kentucky basketball is revered in the state, but he raised a million bucks in that telethon just for texas. Mr. Chairman, the Appropriations Committee has worked hard, indeed, i think it sets a record for the brevity of considering all of these bills in the past few weeks. And i want to recognize chairman frelinghuysen especially for his leadership, and Ranking Member lowey for her partnership. Its been a truly remarkable performance, mr. Chairman, that you lead us through. Let me set a couple of words about the funding for the department of state, foreign operations and related programs. This portion of the bill reduces international, diplomatic and Development Programs by 10 billion, reduces 17 cut from the school 2017. In a tough budget environment, the bill strikes a delicate balance between fiscal responsibility and support for continued United States leadership, diplomatic engagement, and foreign assistance, the socalled soft power of the United States, extremely important in this world in which we find ourselves. It does so first by providing over 6 billion for embassy security. This funding will allow the state department to address the security needs of more than 275 United States diplomatic facilities, embassies, residencies and other things, consulates and embassies, in line with the recommendations of the benghazi accountability review board. I just had a chance over the last ten days to visit several of our embassies here and truly these are dedicated americans who work there. And they are patriotic to the nth degree. Its our obligation, mr. Chairman, to be assured they can work in safety rather than suffer as they did in benghazi. Second, the bill contains 8. 4 billion for Security Assistance and maintain support for key u. S. Allies and partners. 3. 1 billion is provided for israel, fully funding the last year of the current memorandum of understanding. It also maintains Foreign Military financing for egypt, jordan, in tunisia. The bill includes increased Security Assistance for ukraine, and supports other countries facing russian aggression. Including through a new russian fund in the bill. In fact, i was just at the Ukraine Embassy a few days ago. As they face the russian invasion of eastern half of the country. They are asking that they be allowed to have defensive weapons to defend themselves against the russian aggression. We have so far not agreed to that. I certainly hope that we do. The same is almost true in georgia where the russians have seized two of the provinces of that country with military occupation. We went to the checkpoint and look down on the russian encampments thats imprisoning the people of those two provinces of this free country. They are not letting kids go to the schools. Farmers cant get across the checkpoint to their cattle. Any number of inconveniences that they can impress upon them. So our soft power, mr. Chairman, is important. Just as important in many cases as the military power. Third, the bill promotes American Values around the world. I maintaining funding for democracy programs, including to the National Endowment for democracy and the Democracy Fund account. Fourth, the bill includes 8. 3 billion for Global Health programs, and over 5. 9 billion for humanitarian assistance. Continuing our countrys strong tradition of providing humanitarian aid and helping the most vulnerable. These investments also make us better prepared to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging crises. Fifth, at a time when we must remain focused on balancing federal spending, this bill eliminates many programs, focuses on improving oversight and management, and takes steps to make our government more accountable to the congress in the american people. No funds are provided for president obamas global Climate Change initiative. Funding for the u. N. Is reduced by 900 million, and International Banks and Financial Institutions are cut by over 800 million. Finally, the bill protects and preserves life by embracing the president s expanded mexico city policy, prohibiting funding for the u. N. Population fund, continuing all prolife riders carried in prior years. Mr. Chairman, this bill protects both our National Security and economic interests while reducing spending by 10 billion i think it deserves our support. I will be happy to answer your questions. Mr. Chairman, thank you very much. I believe you had the other side of the young chairman you do not . That is what we said, okay. Judge . Mr. Chairman, [inaudible] im learning. Now i know why chairman cole is kidney underneath the the table as we speak. [laughing] chairman, thank you very much. You know, when you would show up, time would remind me about his favorite chairman and now that rodney is here, tom reminds me who his favorite chairman is. So these things happen. Ms. Lowey, you are recognized. Well, i think i addressed my responsibilities as Ranking Member of the speedy i know you included some of those comments. And i included comments concerning the four tops subcommittee, so given all the work ahead of this committee i will defer to cheer and ranking of other committees. Thank you. Judge carter. Thank you, mr. Chairman. First, let me thank everybody for everything good to say about houston and the gulf coast of texas. Its as bad as you think it is. I dont know if you saw, i saw this on cnn. I was with mr. Rogers overseas, to dallas boys sitting around doing nothing, and one of them call the other one and said lets grab our boats and go down and help those folks down in houston. They did note where to go, what to do. They just went until they saw high water, put their boats in. They came upon a house, it looked like it was abandoned but they thought they ought to go in there. It was armpit deep water outside, waist deep water when they got in the house, and there was an old man, 88 years old sitting on a bed. He said i didnt think anybody was going to come because i couldnt make any noise. I figured i was, if that water didnt get over top of my mattress and you boys timing is perfect. And so the one guy said, so we waited through the snakes, the snakes, and pick him up and carried him out of that bed. There are a lot of heroes doing that work. Im a native houstonian, born in houston, raised in southside, university and bel air. I can tell you the problem houstons got, is its as flat as a stable. If it was level, if you poured a glass of water on this table, that water would just sit here. Just sit there, and the only elevation theyve got at 50 feet above sea level is a buyers. The definition of a bio is water that raises and lowers over time. They are really drainage ditch, and when they fill up, theres nowhere for the water to go. Whether in the floodplains or not in the floodplains, the water still rises. Its a real tragedy. Theyve engineered it a lot better than it used to be when i was a kid and they will continue to engineered to get better. But im proud of my state and im proud of my fellow texans. Please forgive my laryngitis. Chairman can testify, it came on me on the trip. Now, mr. Chairman, and Ranking Member, id like to address the Homeland Security bill. [inaudible] the department of Homeland Security appropriation bill is for fiscal year 2017. This bill includes a total of 51 billion to include 44 billion in discretionary funding, and 6. 8 billion for major disasters. This includes the 1. 6 billion that was previously included in the make america secure act that was fast in july. For cbp the funding for the border wall which was passed in congress in july, 1. 6 billion for 74 miles Border Construction was included. Additionally, this bill all the associated technology, infrastructure and assets that are needed for our Border Security to include additional agents, ice, will fund 44,000 detention beds. I know this is an area of contention. 10,000 more than funded in 2016, and almost 4700 more for them number funded in 2017. The bill funded for visa security Homeland Program and expanded. For tsa, we find the required transportation security screeners, this does not include the Aviation Security fees that the president has suggested. While the coast guard funds, this funds all major acquisition programs, including the icebreaker, the offshore patrol carter and the Fast Response cutter. For fema we restore nearly 940 million in federal assistance, First Responders grants, and education, training and exercise. The bill fully funds the request the disastrous, additionally the bill fully funds the secret service, fully funds everify, fully fund cybersecurity, acquisition requirements at the requested levels. In conclusion, my colleagues, this bill is focused on our Homeland Security and Law Enforcement. It sends a powerful message, and if you break our nations laws, or across our border illegally, you will suffer the consequences, which are apprehension, and guaranteed state in detention. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Im to answer any questions, and i once again, i apologize for my voice. We are delighted to have you, and thank you not only for the update on houston, but as chairman rogers and chairman frelinghuysen and ms. Lowey has suggested, the hard work done by the subcommittee chairs and ranked all across the Appropriations Committee as each and every subcommittee contributed so that we are taking all 12 of the funding bills, then over these and i appreciate your help and hope that helps you out a little bit with your cough. Lucille, we will now get to you. The differences and come together as americans to help each other. This is the site to behold and i know that you are very proud as we all are of that. Chairman sessions, Ranking Member stoddard and members of the committee, i am pleased to testify before you with this distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, chairman rogers. The chairman and i agree on many things, but even when we must disagree, we do it with respect for one another in respect for the institution in which we are honored to serve. The fy 18 dhs funding bill addresses many bipartisan priorities, including maintaining funding for first under an antiterrorism emergency food and shelter program. It provides increases about the request for the office of civil rights and civil liberties. The nonprofit security grant program, new coast guard assets and ice investigation child exploitation. It also restores funding for science and technology, centers of excellence. I particularly want to note the bill restores funding for discretionary grants which the Trump Administration proposed to eliminate and funding for predisaster mitigation grants which the administration propose to cut by 60 . These are precisely the kinds of programs that help communities mitigate and prepare for the impacts of natural disasters like Hurricane Harvey and we should in fact be investing even more. While there is much in this bill that democrats can support, we cannot support the bill 705 million increase for Immigration Enforcement in the interior of the United States. This includes an increase of 4676 beds, which is 10,000 dead above fiscal year 2016 and the hiring of 1000 additional i. C. E. Officers and agents focused on it. The administration claims it is more aggressive enforcement approach is critically important to National Security and Public Safety, but i. C. E. Is no arresting people with no criminal infractions who have lived, worked and paid taxes in this country for years and even decades. These arrests are not required for National Security or Public Safety and have tragic tragic consequences from families in communities all over this country. Many in Law Enforcement teletype windsurfer he to report serious crimes in witnesses to crimes are less willing to come forward. Teachers tell us a children are afraid to go to school for fear their parents will be gone when they return home. The traumatic for it on entire communities throughout our country cannot be overstated. To those who insist otherwise the one we must enforce it without discretion, i say this is a moral question as much as a legal question. I. C. E. Does have discretion in enforcing our immigration laws fairly and justly and congress has discretion in prioritizing how to spend taxpayer dollars. The overly aggressive Immigration Enforcement we should be investing more in every security, Human Trafficking investigation, coast guard vessels and aircraft, flood mapping in predisaster mitigation. We should invest more in custom officers. We should restore funding for research and Laboratory Facilities at the science and Technology Directorate and for tsas lawenforcement officer reimbursement program. Many of our colleagues have submitted amendments to address these and other shortfalls and i strongly encourage the committee to make them in order. I too have submitted an amendment. The amendment would reduce ice detention and funding by 850 million use the savings to support the acquisition of a coast guard heavy ice scraper. Russia has 41 focused on the art tick better at it or under instruction. Four of which are heavy ice creepers. The u. S. Has only two active ice creepers. Only one of which is to have the icebreaker nearing the end of its operational life. Our countrys lack of icebreakers puts our nation at a serious disadvantage and makes us more vulnerable because we are unable to control parts of the arctic ocean for months at a time. Combined with 150 million provided in the fy 17 defense bill, the additional 850 million from my amendment would be sufficient to purchase the first new icebreaker and put the United States on a solid path toward securing our sovereign interest in the art region. I thank you again for the opportunity to testify and im happy to answer any questions. Thank you. Thank you very much for your observations and ill show your success to the general package. I appreciate that. Im going to go to the gentleman from wyoming for the first round of questions. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you to the chairman and Ranking Member in the subCommittee Chairman as well and i want to also associate myself with all the comment made about houston, about the resilience and strength weve seen in the people who have been affect the nl so im looking for stories that the dreamers who have been affect that they are and i believe a president obama did was unconstitutional. I think it time for congress to act in if we do that come with kutcher member we shouldnt hold children responsible for the crimes committed by their parents as we go forward here. I also want to stay thank you in particular to the chairman and Ranking Member of the committee. Its been historic what you all have done in terms the speed with which we put these bills together. One of the things i heard repeatedly when i was home last month was republicans have control of the house and control of the senate in the white house comes to why are you voting on spending bills likely on the base they didnt seem to reflect republican priorities as much as some thought they should. I applied very much this process and this effort to make clear we are laying out what our priorities are and you all have done that in a time of very difficult financial and fiscal strains by the rest of us. Chairman rogers, i want to ask you a couple questions about the state foreign ops package. One thing i hear repeatedly which is inaccurate and i say this having spent time working at usaid during bush 41 administration when i spent time working with mrs. Lowey as well as the state department. This notion that because we are cutting funding for an aid program for the state department somehow means we are reducing the importance of those efforts. One of the things i saw consistently was a real failure to measure results and a failure to say are we getting our taxpayers money words from these programs . Mr. Chairman, could you comment on the extent to which even though we see significant cut, that doesnt mean any diminishment and how important diplomacy is and how important the right kind of foreign assistance can be to our foreign affairs. I think that generally defer the question. Thank you. You might want to move back just a little bit. Thank you for the question. As an example of the socalled soft power of the u. S. And georgia, which we were just in, we were entertained by the new speaker of the house, the new Prime Minister of the country. They depend upon american assistance to carry up democracy programs in the country, which i remain julies bordered on the north by russia, on the south by armenia, azerbaijan and turkey between the caspian sea and the blank cd. Its not a nice neighborhood, but they rely upon u. S. Aid to help the government that those countries protect themselves. And i remind you again in georgia of the sonnet 18 provinces, russia now has occupied two of them and prohibited the citizens thereof from leaving the protect there, for example. But for the u. S. Presence there, i have no doubt that georgia would not even exist. So american may disable work for democracy and a protector of people who have values the mueller two hours. It is a fairly small part of the federal budget. More than most people realize. But its very important and it pays off great dividends. Thank you, mr. Chairman. A would like to just add to it are distinguished chairman has said because in addition to my responsibilities working with chairman furling hazen, i had the opportunity to work with chairman rogers. We have had very important meetings and i call it informative meeting with secretary tiller said. It is now 99 and i respect the fact the secretary is an engineer and he wanted to take apart the analysis of the whole department before he put it together. But as i understand it, im not sure which way i should look. But as i understand it, there are desks and d. All over the state department. We are living in such a complicated world today. Again, i respect the fact secretary tiller said is an engineer and hes doing some careful analysis, but when he is traveling and hes on the go dealing with the complicated challenges we have today, not to have backup, to have empty desks at the state department as i understand its really problematic. So i appreciate the question and they do hope that the review of the state department and its function will be completed in nine months and the secretary could have some professional people in addition to people that he has dared to assist him in analyzing the challenges they have been moving forward. I just wanted to add that comment because ive been working on these issues a long time and they have such incredible respect for the professionals we have in the field and here working with the secretary and tried to resolve very, very complicated challenges. Mr. Chairman, let me add briefly to that. The secretary has submitted names to the white house and several key audits, including the deputy secretary for management, which is key, john sullivan. And there is a new head of usaid whos also a great appointment. So hes beginning to build these essential posts. In our bill, we mandate that before the new reorganization is put in place that it must be submitted to this congress, to this committee for review. So i appreciate your question and ms. Loweys remarks. Well, thank you both very much. I do think it is important that we have people in key positions. I think secretary tiller said is doing a tremendous job. I think the Foreign Policy team is first rate and i think there are some positions that are more important than others and one of the things that can be extremely frustrating when you are at the state department is watching sort of the people doing the same thing over and over and over again and in particular taxpayer money. Talking about aid and money basically pushed out the door at the end of the fiscal year and no real measurement of effectiveness. Taxpayers deserve better. I think that the oversight in this bill will help us to get it back. I applaud the committees efforts and not regard. I also applaud the anticoal regulations for opec and acts and, something that our states share in making sure we are able to export or cool. Thank you for that. What i object to you that the balance of the time. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I associate myself with remarks but the remarkable people of texas and how moving it as been to watch as they respond so heroically and frankly in a manner that really does credit the state. Id also be remiss not to point out what an exceptional job to local officials have done from the state officials have done and dare i say it to federal officials have done. Its been a masterful performance at all three levels. I want to give the president a lot of credit for going to texas twice as well. The visits can help focus the attention of the government and the broader public and theyve been very helpful. I saw exactly this kind of response to sandy when friends in the northeast had a pretty tough in a sea of pretty routinely in turn made those across the different parts of the country. We saw it on 9 11 and restarts the killer elite and the Oklahoma City bombing. It tells me this is the american race on scrimmages who we are is the people and how we do and we may have our differences on occasion. Nothing reminds you how fortunate you are to be an american like a disaster because all the resources and ingenuity of a great and generous people are at your disposal. At the moment to be proud of america and particularly of those enormously evil people in texas. We got to help many, many times. Weve had a bad go of it in real proud over two dozen search and rescue for National Guard there. Every power team in several states is down there now trying to help folks in texas get the power back up and running. He really is a genuinely broad american respond. It is a moment to be proud of the country with all the difficulties we sometimes the differences we go through, we forget the great underlying unity of enormous strength in this country. I dont need to ask a lot of a lot of questions for my friends because believe me i sat through every minute of their bills going through and while people may complain about restrictive of the amendment process, there certainly was in a restricted amendment process in committee or subcommittee and we had a very vigorous debate at that level. Im glad to see its going on. I actually share some of my friends Ranking Member concerns about process. But i also know where we were with our former chair of our First Committee took over him we were doing yearlong crs and frankly we were doing open rules or anything. It has been first chairman rogers, now chairman frelinghuysen, my good friend Ranking Member lowey has worked with both of them have begun to restore the process. If we are successful in getting to the floor and there will be, all 12 bills will of god and one form or another to the floor for the first time in many years. I know my friends in front of me ill arrive individually and i like the process quite frankly. It was done away by her friends would never majority. They tried to restore debris field. I think that the congressional failure across the board. To a lot of my friends afraid of casting tough vote when they want structured rules quite frankly. If youre on the Appropriations Committee, you get a chance to ask those votes. But it doesnt hurt to cast votes. When you limit the ability of anybody to become better off for it and then they come you lessen the power of every single member, republican or democrat because all these amendments are republican amendments. As well. But i still want to mark our aggressiveness is progress, mr. Chairman, getting all 12 bills through in record time and we had the budget very, very late and the administration is unusual. Late getting to the budget. Its hard for them to do when they are setting up shop. We made a decision in our leadership could have got 17 build an earlier back in november and december and they wouldve had more time to focus on our task for fiscal year 18. Im still amazed we got it done when we did. That was an impossible without the chairmans leadership in frankly cooperation of the Ranking Member as well. Shes labeled our differences probably listen to god with a great deal of respect. But again, the fact is that all through committee, all told those, still trying to get one through. All told the purse, for across the floor at now the more coming and there will at least be an opportunity for members to our offering amendments commended the lowly skit to do it on every single bill and weve not had that. Again, that says something about the leadership on both sides of the aisle and i will continue to work for that going forward. I just hope that just speaking collectively about the bills, my friend the Ranking Member, we dont always agree on every issue. We dont pentagram process issues very much. I dont disagree with some of her comments. I will say this, all this exercise at certain points is the way its always been. It becomes a bipartisan exercise at a later point. Thats what we had to do to get the fiscal year 15, 16 and 17 budget appropriation bills in on this form. It was negotiated bipartisan. I would expect that the house is in a position and that arms are leadership in chairman to go into negotiations with bills that passed before. My friend is right at the end of the day it will be a bipartisan agreement for a yearlong crs. We should all not want a yearlong cr. That is really bad for the government. I just told by friends on my side of the aisle will support these bills. They reflect their values and views. They do not reflect the values and views in the ways of my friends on the other side of the aisle. But at the end of the day, there will be a bipartisan negotiation some of these issues will be resolved in ways they wont lose every fight, but we wont win every fight either. It will be an effort to arrive at a conversation that if there is not, my friends that want the major defense buildup are going to get it. The budget control act is law and will require both parties working together to revise the above. Absent bipartisan cooperation when you a yearlong cr and i would hope the administration which will play a very Important Role in this knows that. The administration did like an Important Role in the fy 17 build then there is some big victories on their standpoint of defense spending and Border Security. But there were some big a part of the month at cdc. We know how to do this or that particular point in the process and so i want to commend my friend. This can happen if all those bills that got written in subcommittee, if they all had been rewritten and amended in the full committees, they all moved out of there now across the floor. I look forward to working with each and every one of you as we go forward because i do want a major bipartisan and, bicameral deal negotiated probably in november, december. My guess is look at the end of this month, wont be able to meet the deadline is my friend pointed out for all these bills because a friend of the senate wont meet the deadline but we can negotiate a deal. With all the work that we have done, theres no greater work than just keeping the government running. That is job number one for congress. These other things are great, but that needs to get done and so im hopeful we can sit down and Work Together. We did at 15 and 16 and 17. The president of one party and the president of another party tells me were a little bit better sometimes. The yield to my friend the chairman. Mr. Chairman, i want to take a half minute to thank the gentleman, mr. Kohl. He has been and is a part of the process we are going through now. He also chose one of those subcommittees, the biggest except for defense. The hhs bill has more money in it than anything else we do accepted that the defense bill. Not only on the committee, but he brings the wisdom he is noted for her to this committee and he also serves on the Budget Committee and is one of the many voices on that committee. Frankly i dont know when he sleeps. And im a little bit worried about him because he does so much into such an integral part of this process and so many that we all turned to for advice. I thank the gentleman. I promise this, mr. Chairman if it ever comes to my cigar smoking time he will reconsider it. But thatll yield, mr. Chairman. I want to join with you. I have engaged the gentleman as he wears his other hat so to speak as the appropriations subcommittee chair for really nih and have found not onlyhis desire to ascend, but also to name appropriate number of times in particular the National Eye Institute. The National Eye Institute is attempting to not only build and i, which is difficult but dealing with the receptor cell issue. Dr. Paul was out there, dr. Francis collins is our director. They are really working with tom, myself on this important process. This is just one of many areas that tom has to stand out, clocks in an the only difference between you and us you and us as we get paid overtime when we were up here late at night. Okay, well maybe not. But tom puts in his hours and is a very important person. Thank you for noting that we received from chairman cole. Cant resist the chairman since this is that i love tom cole. But i do want to say one thing but ill keep it to a couple of seconds. Just when i got on appropriations a while ago, i was told very democrats, republicans and appropriators and to me its been an honor to serve on this committee and i do feel confident that although at this point in the process we may have strong disagreements, we have to pass these Appropriations Bills at the 2017 process is an example really, one of the best examples about how we Work Together and we passed a really good bill. I look forward to getting to that point somehow in between we have been moved to the right, to the left, to the center. But i feel confident in a thank you for your very thoughtful leadership and your thoughtful comments. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I want to say to my friend very quickly. I dont expect will be voting the same way on this bill, but expect will be voting the same way on the final bill. I agree. Thank you. Yes, maam. Im not going to have questions for the panel, but i do have a statement. The process which is something we talk about a lot was here this week considering these bills. We may be here all night on the floor as well. Unfortunately, most of us know this bill funds to third of the federal government is a waste of time because we dont have the votes to tax and then become law. There are lots of provisions in this bill that are deeply troubling to a lot of us may contain antiwomen provisions that take this unprecedented thought on Womens Health to a whole new level. Everything from planning funding to eliminating funding for planned parenthood is included here. If that raises the government funding bill and it is the women in this country that only proves that congress controls their health. They face their own decisions on Family Planning. This will create such an outcry. We are also cutting 600 876 million from fema, which weve just seen in this disaster. A special Council Funding after six months and limit the scope of the investigation. The amendment part of my office and in my district 300 calls in two days, we were unable to do anything, but answer the phone. These calls come from every part of the United States. And Womens Health, youre going to make people really mad if you enact these. We might have to try to pass the bills, its not going to work. And the point, with so many deadlines, Everybody Knows that we went through the debt limit. The debt limit has been we blew through that in march. So weve been way out of the debt limit since march. That certainly isnt the reason why were to do this. The government lending september 30th and funding for Childrens Health Insurance Program ends and i dont know if its in the bill or not or doing something different. The natural flood Insurance Program 25 billion dollars in the hole. Also, expires at the end of this month. As does the federal Aviation Administration and authorization on september 30th as well. So were here doing this and we know the senate is not going to get 60 votes on. So, weve got 12 days in september, and today the president moves in daca, 800,000 people doing important work in the United States. And this titans of industry, including facebook and google, amazon, led my zuckerberg, and with good jobs, saying dont do this to us. This means Immigration Reform sometime over the next six months and only 12 legislative days in this month. We dont have a lot of time do it. I wish we had were facing a resolution, shortterm if necessary and this will not become law in my opinion. I yield back to the chair. Miss slaughter thank you very much. You and mrs. Lowey referred to money related to the investigation of the former director of the fbi. I can find no money that was appropriated for that in the bills that were talking about that came out of [inaudible] i am aware of that, but i do not believe that the committee we dont have to make it an order. What im suggesting to you, i cant find the money that hes speaking about. What hes saying after six months its over with. But the money came from a source within the department of justice that so, you can ask chairman, but what im suggesting is im not sure that that would be made an order as a result of that money. Well, lets hope not. Thats what im trying to help you work through. And i really hope you wont go after Womens Health. Were not going back to the last century for health care for women, its not going to i appreciate and i am on that issue, im as a matter of fact, mr. Coles bill right now report on page 68, looking at that right now. So, thank you very much. Got my full attention. Good, thank you very much, appreciate that. Yes, maam. Thank you very much. The gentleman from georgia is recognized. Thank you, mr. Chairman, i dont have anything so urgent it cant wait until hour six, seven, eight of our hearing tonight. [laughter] but i would ask consent that the statement of administrative policy. The statement of administrative policy will be in the record. Does the table need a copy of that. As long as youve got a copy ill be glad to make sure that the clerk would please make available five copies of that to those people that are here at the table. I thank the clerk for doing that. You will find that, mr. Chairman, words of congratulations and words of constructive counsel as you might imagine. With that ill yield back the chair. By the way, good to see you. Ive missed you. I can say that. Had i would say that, also. Host you would say that, also. Mr. Montgomery. I am going to try to be brief, should go out and celebrate and not being here doing this. But let me echo what everybody has said here, and say that the people of texas are in our prayers and that we pray for a speedy recovery and reconstruction and i hope all the money that they need to rebuild is going to be there and i hope and pray that it will i trust that people in this chamber will vote nopefully unanimously to give texas what we need and we wont see the difficulties we saw, unfortunately, with relief aid to hurricane sandy, which i thought was a disgrace, but this is important and we all need to be together on that. Mr. Cheney, to say to the happy to hear her say shes moved by the stories of the dreamers and i think all of us should be because theyre important part of our community and as has been mentioned, work is important, some involved in the armed forces and some on the relief effort. And i disagree whether president obamas order was unconstitutional. We did try to legislate back in 2010 and passed the dream act here in the house. Unfortunately, we couldnt get it through the senate because we couldnt get 60 votes. Members of your party opposed it. And i think what President Trump did really is quite nasty, no matter how you want to look at it, praying politics with peoples lives. During the campaign he said hes going to put this back in our lap and i hope well step up and protect them. There was nothing that prevented us from legislating on this yesterday. Or last year. Or the year before. And you know, i want to ask you and in the record, an article from l. A. Times, a man who was a dreamer who drove a hundred miles to help victims of Hurricane Harvey and unfortunately lost his life when his boat capsized on wednesday and he and other dreamers, many whom dedicated their lives and better what the rules Committee Majority did to had the bipartisan amendment, which is mysteriously disappeared. You know, i mean, i dont know what the future is here and i hope that we can come together on the dreamers, and i hope that we dont use the dreamers as a political ploy to try to pass this ugly border wall or some other one of the many misguided priorities of this administration. These people have given a great deal to our country and they deserve better than theyre getting and finally, i want to associate myself with the remarks of our Ranking Member. We know were going to have to do continuing resolution in a couple of weeks and nothing in terms of what were doing in this amendment process will be reflected in that cr. And then we have no idea whats going to happen after that. Whether there will be a series of cr or one longterm continuing resolution and seems to me that going through this exercise, where i think a thousand have been thousand amendments have been issued and these other, dealing with the dreamers, the debt ceiling and keeping our government open. It would seem that we would want to make sure that this was, in fact, real, that this process meant something. Im not convinced it is. I think its an exercise i guess, so you can go home and say we did our appropriation bill in a convoluted and quite frankly unprecedented process bringing eight bills to the floor at once, but it doesnt mean anything and i look it, i want to say i dont know if you read the oped by senator john mccain, but his call to go back to regular order, i think should resonate with democrats and republicans because as far as i can tell in this congress regular is dead and i appreciate the work that the appropriators have done and in your committee. Unfortunately, i wished it was more bipartisan, but regular order for all intents and purposes is dead and i regret that very much. Mr. Chairman, i yield back my time. Thank you very much. I would encourage the gentleman to know that regular order also does include work thats done in committees and i think that this committee would not characterize it being dead. I think i would advise us they would advise us they did a lot of work that was done, described as being important and looking at the issues and ideas from a new perspective, also, of an administration, but mostly, i think, if you go through these, youll see where we very clearly delineated the differences that we may have had, maybe with article two from the skinny budget spoke about, so, i think dead refers to well, i an object that does not move. I think that i think i appreciate the work that was done in the committee although this committee obviously doesnt respect the regular order that now, that might be the point youd like to make. Otherwise how do you explain stripping out the agulair amendment. And we are going to bring this in a restricted and convoluted process and at the end of the day this is probably not going to go anywhere. And the definition of regular order, and i appreciate the gentleman and i stood up and took complete responsibility and discussed it in detail last month as we went through that. So i appreciate the gentleman, but i think one of the process is what this committee thats before us right now, the Appropriations Committee and i want to thank them for the hard work they did and thank them for the long hours and diligent viewpoint that they could take tough votes, they could issue tough, tough arguments back and forth, with each other to get closer to an understanding, so, the gentleman may have disagreement with the things which are done necessarily up here, but i think the Appropriations Committee, and i dont want you to leave here thinking you dont have somebody that at least respects what you did. Thank you very much. Gentleman from texas, dr. Michael burgess. By the way, mr. Chairman, the gentleman from louisville, texas serves as vicechairman for energy and health, had his hands full and shows up every meeting and does his homework. Up and down the line, badly burned, and these people show up and doing their work late at night and i am proud of the work we do, also, so dr. Burgess. Thank you, mr. Chairman, i, too, want to being a knowledge the work done by the Appropriations Full Committee and the members of the subcommittees for bringing this product to us today. I think it is a significant work product. Mr. Chairman, i want to thank you for your open process here at the rules committee. Of course, people come and testify before the rules committee, mark that we have no clock in the rules committee and any one of us is free to talk for as long as we want, the witnesses can speak as long as they want. They can answer questions as long as they want. So, the rules committee is an open process and every member of the house of representatives can bring it to rules committee and get a fair hearing in front of our Committee Chairman and our committee on rules. But again, mr. Chairman, i really want to thank you for the work you put in. I know this has been a significant work product on your part and im deeply appreciative. Chairman carter, like you, i lived in houston for while, very familiar with the topography of that part of the world. Its unique. I wasnt born in houston like you were, my daughter was, we lived there a number of years while i was in medical school. I know the people of houston to be strong and resilient and have been through a tough situation as have the people in beaumont, and port arthur, rockport and points in between. Chairman rogers just asked you a question because you brought up the ukraine and you know, when you were speaking on couldnt help, but reflect, i think its been two years ago that president porchenko pointed out that you cant win a war with blankets and made an appeal for at least defensive weapons to be made available and i believe that he went down to the white house the following day and made a similar request to president obama. Where does that stand . I mean, obviously, we have a we have a task ahead of us on the appropriations side, but from the administration standpoint, are they more likely to adhere to the president s request for the Previous Administration or are we at a standoff. We met with president poroshenko, and we talked about his speech a couple of years ago. Secretary mattis was just there three weeks ago now and met on this issue of weaponry in defense of themselves and secretary mattis said something to the effect that hes reflecting on it. So the administration apparently is considering it. Whether or not theyre going to do it or not, i dont know, or when, i certainly hope they do. Weve learned, surely, from all the less soons weve had confronting Russian Military power, you dont go to fight with a bb gun or take a knife to a gun fight. So, im hoping at that we will say are we clear to make that happen. To be sure i understand, our appropriations bill that we have in front of us would allow for additional defense to be made aid able to president poroshenko . Its to the discretion of the administration. Yes, the bill would support that if thats the decision they make. Well, i know youve put a lot of work in this and got a long evening ahead of us, so, mr. Chairman, im going to yield back. Dr. Burgess, thank you very much. The gentleman, the birthday youngman. Thank you very much. Recognize thank you very much and happy birthday. 81 years ago, im certain that my mom didnt think that i would be sitting up in the rules committee at the very same time, im sure that she understood that a time would come that i would have opportunities to make presentations to my colleagues. First, let me associate myself with the remarks of everyone that has spoken here about of the Ongoing Events in texas and i heard the word houston often. I did not hear beaumont once, and i could go on and on and on. I did hear our chairman rogers refer to the gulf coast, rightfully it should have been. There are a lot of people in texas that are suffering along that gulf coast. Mentioned louisiana, theyre seemingly doesnt track as much. Let me Say Something thats needed in this congress. After 25 years i have brought this to the attention of our members. We all know that disasters are going to continue to happen. As we speak, had as near fires are raging in california. A good friend on the committee from montana area, is on fire. Oregon is experiencing fire. And i learned that they have a Disaster Committee and its constituted of all of the chairs of the jurisdictions, similar to our own, and appointment by their leader, as of the chair of that committee. We really need to do Something Like that. We also need to make sure that theres shared sacrifice with reference to these measures and where taxes meet our responsibilities to call upon those that are better off in our society to be more forth coming in helping. I was real proud of the Football Player jj, hes now raised nearly 20 Million Dollars, but we all know thats going to be a small amount of money by comparison of what is needed. While we speak, about havoc that harvey has wrought, on the heels of that as we speak, the category 5 hurricane, if it stays at that level, we will, i hope, be back here to do the things that are necessary for the territory that we are likely to experience in the next two or three days with the Virgin Islands and puerto rico, not to mention what may happen along the coast, including my home state of florida. So then, isnt it rich or ironic that when we tomorrow take up the commerce science bill that the provision offered by your party, mr. Chairman, is going to cut 709. 8 Million Dollar less for noaa. And theyve pointed out to us, theres a 19 cut to noaa and their climate research. Thats almost as if we dont even acknowledge these kinds of things. There are some measures there that are pleasing, but it contains a significant cut to their overall operations, research and facilities budget, including, the elimination of the regional resilience grant program. To my way of thinking, that being penny wise and pound foolish. And let me tell you where this is going. 26 minutes ago i was handed the statement of policy and mr. Chairman, i asked for unanimous consent to include this. It has been entered into the record, thank you very much. All right. I dont recall that it was, but i take your word, mr. Chairman, that its and im delighted that it is. You and i, as well as other members of this committee have seen lots of statements of Administration Policy and a lot of times they conclude by saying whether or not the president would veto or support amendments. This one is alarming for all of us. Inside the 12 pages of this statement of administration are references to constitutional conce concern. Section 43 and 49 of the bill is a concern of the administration from a constitutional standpoint h 702, 706, 717, 727, and other provisions raised separate of power concerns according to the administration. And section 719 would interfere with the president takes care of authority to sim fly the executive branch. It goes on to have constitutional concerns, 101, 122, 123, 201, 302, 511, 520, 6 608, 609 on and on and one raises the separation of power of concern and it concludes or at least administration does, not by saying what theyll do, but they say such provisions concern these concerns and highlight 221, 230, 287 and 406. And then says the administration looks forward to working with the congress as the fiscal year 2018 appropriations process moves forward. That ignores in many respects the extraordinary work that the five individual that our colleagues here have put forward, but then it would be remiss if i did not follow on miss slaughter and mr. Mcgoverns comments. Set a deadline for eight appropriations, these things here, all of this stuff on 970 amendments, 1,305 pages of these eight bills and i ask anybody in here, other than the five members, whether any of them, or perhaps mr. Coles has read all of these and had the time to do so. The amendment process were offered after the deadline, after the recess, and the deadline expired before members returned. Now, this puts strain on members in this body. Also the staff that support congress, and the legislative. And thats another arena that we have argued for that needs an increase if were going to continue the pattern that we are, then those persons need appropriate people in order to put forward the necessary legislation performed. He can assure everybody in here that this process, this chaotic process is going to result in some poor decisions and some destructive outcome. It was said and i repeat, we need to get back to sane, orderly and thoughtful processes in this congress, need stop waiting for disaster to be at our doorstep before we act and we need to abandon legislating by chaos and thats exactly what this is. Twothirds of all Discretionary Spending is going to be considered in a week. And that is absurd and irresponsible. Some of the policy writers, she mentioned a moment ago, she didnt go into detail, i shall. Among the policy writer, epa standards for ten years, prevents the epa from insuring mining companies, can afford to clean up toxic waste. I wish i had a lot more time to talk about that provision. Undermines the Tobacco Control act for unregulated tobacco products. Blocked funding for implementing, administering or enforcing the Affordable Care act. A footnote there, enough already about the death spiral of the Affordable Care act. Its as if republicans didnt have anything to do with the failure of that measure and we voted right here in this committee 61 different times that were intended to repeal, rather than doing the things that all of us know that we could do, ive maintained that the public ought to lock all 400, 535 of us up here until we have health care for this, and it blocked funding for planned parenthood, what part of the fact that planned parenthood does as much good as can be imagined in areas that are not touched by Community Services in health care or by hospitals. It prohibits funding for gun violence prevention and i guess you all are going to ask me to vote for it. I aint going to vote for it, and killing people, and that guns people, people dont kill people. Well, ive got news for you,cles theres a whole lot of guns killing a whole lot of people in this country that are virtually unnecessary and we ought to be about it. The pointed out, again, it expands to all Global Health programs. It prohibits using funds and user fees to implement the Affordable Care act, and weve seen reduction of the number of people that may be helping people to get on health care, their numbers are going to be decreased. It repeals the doddfrank Consumer Financial protections. People did you all not go through the same thing that all of us went through when we had this last run that caused people to lose their houses and for wealth to vanish overnight . Did you all not see that and then you tell me that doddfrank didnt do something about that . Im curious to know. If presents the department of justice from tracking multiple sales of semi automatic long guns favored by drug cartels in the border states. Dont forget now, september 30th well have to do a continuing resolution, and you then were up against the debt limit pointed out, we blew through it in march and started using extraordinary measures and now were told by treasury secretary we need do to do something about september 29th, otherwise a downgrading of the credit and sending Financial Markets into chaos. One dear to me and to all of you, the childrens Helmet Program has to be done by september 30th. Isnt it interesting and very rich that Flood Insurance is on the line and im curious for some of my colleagues who argued we shouldnt be involved and it should be in the private hand of everybody, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey, it critical that we authorize this program and in the ice of ongoing, and i might add, right behind irma is another hurricane, jose. We can reasonably expect her examples of this. We can continue down this path, people, but we do ourselves a terrible disservice and among the things that i dont understand, is any money being in here for something called a border wall, that the president of this country told us was going to be paid for by mexico, most of us in here then knew that was not the case, that ooh were going to be about the business of providing 1. 6 for Border Security, then we need to take into consideration our own sandy about some things and not about others. Let me remind you, no one who came in here and blew down the twin towers came through mexico. Those people were here some living and some training in the district had i deserve. And through canada another thing were doing, putting the dreamers in peril. There are doctors that are dreamers in this country, there are people in our military that are protected by this particular provision. So, then when the speak of this house says that he hopes this congress will take it up, ill remind him, its his job to make it happen so that we will not only protect those persons, but assure ourselves that we about the business and the kind of democracy that we hope for the world, we certainly ought to be able to provide it among ourselves and remember that everybody here came here from somewhere else other than native america and until such time as we come to grips with that were going to continue down this path. And if i made any of you mad, its deliberate. [laughte [laughter] the gentleman from georgia, question . Gentleman from alabama. I want to take this opportunity to thank the committee. You worked really hard under difficult circumstances and the rest what you did, we appreciate it and yield back. Gentleman from washington . Thank you, mr. Chairman and ill echo those comments from my colleague from alabama, being a new member of the Appropriations Committee, i had no idea the, i think this Committee Puts in more time and hours than the rules committee, but for certain seasons of the year and express my appreciation to every member, republican and democrat, for the hard work of the long debates and discussions i think the productive results that we see, are beginning to see in front of us in the rules committee today. Chairman , and everybody here, thank you for your hard work and i look forward to the debate over the next couple of days, mr. Chairman. Gentleman from colorado, no questions. Im always willing to give the gentle lady from wyoming extra time. I just feel the need to wish mr. Hastings happy birthday once again. Youre welcome. Its liz, but, okay. I want to thank all of you and youre dismissed, thank you for your testimony. Thank you. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] if we could, we will have our next panel start moving to the table. [inaudible conversations] [inaudible conversations] if i could have chairman di diaz, good to have you here, Ranking Member price, see him. For housing and urban development, well, chairman Ranking Member bishop for the ag division as well. Gentlemen, welcome. If we could, well start off, mr. Diaz with you for any testimony you need to make and well go to your Ranking Member and then to agriculture next. Mr. Chairman, thank you and to the Ranking Member, two of the members of the committee. Before i say anything, i would like to add a word of just how inspiring, you know, this tragedy in houston and texas has been i think to the entire world and obviously, all of us are looking at that and we pray, our hearts go out to those affected and, but it is the best in the country when you see thats how texans are demonstrating what theyre made out of and were hoping the next storm doesnt continue to head in our direction, but anyways, without mr. Chairman, thank you all and i thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of the Appropriations Committee, transportation, housing and urban development for fiscal year 2018. Before i get to the details, i would first want to thank the chairman for his leadership and commitment and particularly for safety and infrastructure and housing programs in the thut bill and Ranking Member lowey, and her fingerprints are all over the bill and thank her for that and my friend, the Ranking Member, mr. Price, for working with me in a spirit of cooperation, collaboration, partnership. Mr. Chairman, his attention to detail and knowledge of the programs in this bill has mid made it a much better bell. If provides 56. 5 billion in discretionary budget authority. 1. 1 billion below the enacted level and 8. 6 billion above the budget requested by the president. We have targeted funding in this bill to essential investments safety, infrastructure, and Housing Assistance for our most vulnerable citizens. The elderly, the disabled and obviously, our heroes, our veterans. We made some hard choices, mr. Member and the committee, we took cuts to nonsinghs programs and were scaling back. The bill includes 17. 8 billion in discretionary appropriations and 76. 7 billion in total resources, that includes support for the fast Tax Obligation and limitations. The federal aviation, an increase of 435 million above the budget request. We provided this increase to keep advancing next generation programs with over 1 billion. And to continue to, again, the safe operation of the worlds most complex, the most advanced air Traffic Control system on the planet. The bill reflects the priorities for highways, rail and transit and 45 billion in road funding from the trust fund. Almost a billion above fiscal year 2017. This will provide repairs to the highways and bridges. A 2. 5 billion to the railroad and for safety and critical structure investments. Including those to address the good repair backlog, which has been a real issue. As a reflection of tough choices, it grants us 660 million below the 2017 level, but we have included funding and direction to keep upcoming projects in the pipelines. For housing programs, we work to ensure continuing assistance to our most vulnerable populations and this bill includes 38. 3 billion for the department of housing and urban developments. The bill includes the significant increases to keep pace with inflation, almost 1 billion above last year, for direct rental assistance to maintain housing, for those who are currently served. All this assistance remains a top priority in this bill. With funding at the enacted level and well above the budget requested by the administration, again, to serve our most vulnerable citizens, including veterans. These programs are often carried out by faithbased organizations in our communities that bring out the best, the best of our neighborhood and our communities. The bill restores the number of community Development Programs that were proposed for elimination in the administrations budget request. Cg, home and building, for example, we listened to both sides of the aisle, democrats and republicans who made sure we knew those were proirts for them. These Program Support Decision Making where it should happen at the local level. Thank you for your time and i would hope a favorable consideration and i urge the support of each and every one from this committee. I field back. Well go next to mr. Price the Ranking Member. Thank you, mr. Chairman, like everyone who has appeared here today, i also want to express condolences to the people of texas, louisiana and others who might yet be in harms way. Admiration for the way people pulled together to reach out to those in need and determination that we in this body will do our part to offer the assistance for recovery, rebuilding, and i understand were going to be doing that this week and weeks to come and i certainly pledge my support for that effort. Im happy to join my friend, the chairman, in testifying on our transportation housing and urban Development Appropriations bill and want to thank the chairman for always being a cooperative and collegial partner and leading an open and collaborative process. Thats the way hes run the committee and benefitted all around. This time is no exception although this time we have many challenges and thats going to pose a problem in terms of support of this bill, but hopefully not for support eventually of a budget agreement and a collaborative work on another day. On another omnibus that will let us do what we need to do and the key departments that we oversea. This years mark at this point includes 66 1 2 billion for vital tran action and housing ap community Development Programs. This represents a funding decrease of more than 1. 1 billion compared to the enacted level. Our subcommittee was dealt a very difficult hand, as a result were not investing enough in our housing an and infrastructure to maintain let alone expand it. And at the popular tiger program, in fact, i during the august time at home, was able to visit rollys union station, a wonderful multimodal project that simply would not be underway were it not for the of grants we were fortunate to receive. 5 of meritorious proposals are funded under tiger and now the bill before us would eliminate that out, despite the overwhelming need we see in front of our eyes. The capital grants program, new starts, receives a cut of the 659 million. I am appreciative that the chairman has included bill language to ensure that fda continues to rate and review projects. Im grateful we didnt do what the trump budget asked us to do in terms of elimination of this program, but a cut of the 659 million is devastating. Ap there are communities all over this count who have done through the processes and clearing the hurdles. We shouldnt be letting them down. We wont let them down as they get projects. At hud, detroit changing and thriving in mixed income only received 20 million. Thats a place holder. Weve got to do better than that. And even this year piece appropriation which was not lavish, 137 million were falling far short of that in the process. Additi Additional Community programs are cut despite calls from official across the country to maintain the funding streams. Were in the midst of a National Housing crisis. Only one in four for rental ais a stance can now receive it. We have a massive housing ba backl backlog. Our infrastructure continues to crumble, we should be increasing not making cuts. Instead, we have returned again and again and again to appropriations, especially domestic appropriations to bear the brunt of deficit reduction. What a bankrupt strategy. The result is a disaster for our economy, and for the work of our of the work of most of our appropriation and subcommittees. It truly gives us the worst of both worlds. We dont address the real drivers of the deficit and yet we do untold damage to National Critical investments. Im opposed to some he riders approached to this bill that unnecessari unnecessarily they harm the public and labor rights, these riders have no place in this bill. I do remain hopeful as others expressed here today and mr. Cole, im happy to hear what he has said, particularly along these lines, the need for a multiyear bipartisan budget agreement. Thats what we had and kept us in business. Yomming many of us would claim that it let us do everything that it needed to do. Its kept the lights on and let us meet our obligations in the cooperative way, the power of the purse in this institution works best. If we can get this, it will be vastly improved. The chairman to his credit has provided a frame work of a bill here that can be revisited in exactly that way. He so i look forward to continuing collaboration with colleagues to achieve the goal of Adequate Funding for the next year. Many tests await us in the weeks and months ahead. Thank you. My friend, go to the distinguished gentleman from alabama. Thank you, mr. Chairman and as it has been noted, our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of harvey and those as has been noted might be in harms way in the future. We certainly want to get to our work this weekend. First of all, thank you for allowing us to have the opportunity to discuss ny 2018. Appropriations bill that provides funding. And also included in it is the food and drug administration, the commodities future trading administration and what id like to do is sort of hit the high points. I know, the rules committee has been here for, oh, quite some time and will be here for quite some time so ill try to be mindful of that so ill hit the high points if you ask any questions and ill be happy to try to get those answers to youment as far as funding, the bill totals 20 million and discretionally funding and its cut below of 2017 enacted by 876 million. Represents a cut 5. 3 compared to last year. We have a very tough allocation, but we tried to look at programs that did the most benefit to the people and fit the u. S. Economy. nearly aelth in the bill with five line items for activities. The bill reduces federal Staffing Levels through attrition and several agencies and weve provided increases for only one single program, Food Safety Administration service, and require all of those to see some cover nup. Ill have i from the appropriations response. We provide support for the Rural Community and rural housing, Rural Business investments and programs. The big shows, premium we address Critical Research needs in both terms of current and future challenges and also we support programs that combat animal and plant disease and there is support for food safety and medical product safety included. The bottom line, we believe this is responsible bill that receives bipartisan praise and crassed through an open and trance transparent process. Its been a pleasure working with mr. Bishop on this bill and certainly has been a great partner as we move forward with this legislation and look forward to moving this bill forward. So with that, yield back. Ill go to my good friend from georgia, distinguished Ranking Member, mr. Bishop. Thank you very much. [inaudible] support to the people of georgia in 1994, 1998, when we suffered devastating floods and later multiple tornados. So please note as texas suffers our entire nation suffers. And were committed today to do all we can to heal texas and to heal our nation. And start off again by thanking the chairman, Ranking Member lloyd and all of the members of our community for working petter cross better across party lines. Why the agriculture bill remains 5 below the f ychy 201 number, it represents a bipartisan effort to keep our countries moving forward despite being presented with the president s draconian budget request, resulting funding reinstructions were spread across several programs to make them less painful in the end. But let me be clear here. Our communities that make up this great nation need these programs to be robustfully funded in order to keep us competitive in the global marketplace. The bill provides 830. 4 Million Dollars for research and education activities, which includes approximately 161 million in funding consistent with 2017 for the 1890 historically grand institution, as well native American Travel controls institutions. These funds will continue to insist increasing in minority representation and participation and the multidisciplinary Agriculture Community in fields such as ag research and farming and ranching. Its quite unfortunate that this bill does not maintain the total fy 17 funding for the food for peace program. However, mcgovern is at the 2017 level. The bill cuts the Commodity Futures Trading Commission by 2 million below fy 17, despite the fact that the chairman requested an increase. By the agency of the funds needed to protect u. S. Customers from nefarious trade activity, the bill also contains unprecedented language allowing the chairman to reduce the pay benefits of employees as necessary to avoid a rift or furlough. It ab bro abbrogates. And theres a great improvement over the president s budget. I would not characterize as robust. With Rural America needing our development more than ever, this is a missed opportunity. Funding for the from youing administration is flat which is no mean feat considering the trump budget to cut it by more than 900 million. Still, funding for the agency that overseas the safety of our food, our drugs, medical devices will not grow despite a significant dependence on their activities and the increased workload that comes each and every year. I mentioned just a few of our collective successes, but unfortunately, if we do not continue and expand this collegial and teamwork trend, it will be more difficult than ever to get back to regular order. With the end of the fiscal year drawing near were in dangerous crosshairs that the house nor the Senate Majority passed a resolution. Its troubling that we havent started drafting a solution that would prevent a government shut down. For have we tackled the debt limit. All of these items should be addressed by the end of the month, but thats not where we found ourselves today. Instead we are going with the package that does not meet the needs of the citizen of this great nation. I and our Appropriation Committee colleagues will continue keeping our eye on the ball and working together as best we can to make progress. Again, id like to thank mr. Adelhof, and of course, always want to thank the full committee Ranking Member miss lewis for her continued leadership. We have our work cut out for us, were only here for a season. Members of Congress Come and go, but while we are here we have a charge from the people of this great nation. Im reminded of a poem by the anonymous poet, gods minute. I have only a minute, only 60 seconds and forced upon me, cant refuse it, didnt seek it, didnt choose it. I must suffer if i lose it, give account if i abuse it. Just a tiny little minute, but eternity. Coming to a close the u. S. Senate about to gavel in. Lawmakers will be spending the morning on