McGovern Votes to Pass Omnibus Appropriations Bill to Help Create Jobs and Grow the Economy

Statement

Today, Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) joined House Democrats and Republicans in voting 316-113 to pass the FY 2016 Omnibus Appropriations bill. This measure funds the government for Fiscal Year 2016. The omnibus bill was part of a bipartisan deal that included a tax extenders bill passed yesterday with a strong bipartisan vote of 318-109.

"Today I joined my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote for the Omnibus to avert a disastrous government shutdown and to make the investments we need to help our families succeed and grow our economy. While the bill is not perfect, it is a bipartisan compromise that makes strong investments in a wide range of critical programs with increased funding for NIH, Head Start, Pell Grants, job-training, state and local law enforcement, the McGovern-Dole international school feeding program, and many others.

"One of the most important victories for working families in the bipartisan deal this week was the provisions in the tax extenders bill that make permanent the improvements to the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit that were passed in 2009 as part of the Recovery Act. As a result, these improvements are expected to lift about 16 million people, including about 8 million children, out of poverty or closer to rising above the poverty line. College affordability is a big priority for me and I am glad that we also made permanent the recent improvement to the American Opportunity Tax Credit to help millions of low- and middle-income families pay for college each year.

"Additionally, the Omnibus includes provisions to reauthorize the vital Land and Water Conservation Fund for three years. The LWCF is one of our country's most successful outdoor recreation and conservation programs. Over the last 50 years, it has helped to protect national parks and forests, farms and ranches, fish and wildlife refuges, trails, and state and local parks in Massachusetts and across the country.

"Following the historic international climate agreement reached in Paris last weekend, I am also pleased that this deal will extend tax incentives for investments in wind and solar energy, helping to drive significant reductions in carbon pollution and other dangerous air pollutants and provide certainty for investments in clean energy.

"With any bipartisan legislation, it is essential that both parties are able come to the table to find compromise and reach a deal. While the Omnibus and tax extenders bills are not perfect, the investments they make will put us in a strong position to continue our work with states and businesses to grow the economy and help all of our families succeed. Our work is far from finished, but this is an important step forward and I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to continue this progress in the new year."

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