Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Chairman, I thank the gentleman for yielding.

Mr. Chairman, I rise today to support the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill that is before us. This is the third of the 12 bills to make it to the floor. We have passed eight of the bills through the full committee, and 10 of them through the subcommittees. But this bill provides the important funding that Congress needs to do our work on behalf of the American people.

From maintaining the hallowed halls of this very building, to providing services for our constituents, to funding the agencies that keep us informed and in check, the $3.48 billion in this bill supports the largest and freest democracy the world has ever known.

In total, our funding is increased slightly--$73 million above current levels. That increase is directed to essential health and safety improvements to aging or damaged facilities as well as to the Capitol Police to protect Members, staff, and our visitors.

At the same time, this bill keeps the belt tight, continuing our trajectory of trimming funding for the House of Representatives by 13.2 percent since 2011 and extending the pay freeze for Members of Congress. The funds provided for House operations will allow Members of Congress to continue serving the American people to the fullest extent and representing their voices in Washington, D.C.

For the thousands and thousands of people who enter this Capitol complex each day--be it visitors, staff, or Members themselves--safety is of the utmost importance.

As we have seen recently, the brave men and women of the Capitol Police force must remain vigilant and well-equipped to secure the Capitol complex. The bill funds the Capitol Police at $391.3 million-- that is $16.3 million above current levels--to enhance security and maintain public access to this complex.

To ensure the safety of the buildings in the Capitol complex, which, as we know, has historic but aging facilities, the legislation provides $551 million for the Architect of the Capitol. That includes ongoing rehab projects as well as deferred maintenance.

In addition, the bill provides funding for the congressional support agencies that we rely on each day to do our jobs. That includes $533 million for the Government Accountability Office, which provides Congress with accurate reporting on how tax dollars are spent, and $629 million for the Library of Congress.

Mr. Chairman, this is a good bill that targets funds to critical operations while keeping a close eye on every tax dollar spent.

I want to thank Chairman Graves for his hard work to ensure that every dollar in this bill helps make the people's House run efficiently and productively. I also want to thank Ranking Member Wasserman Schultz, and all of the subcommittee members and staff for their efforts that brought this bill to the floor. Finally, I do want to specify a thanks to our staff for their knowledge and expertise and passion for this place throughout this process.

As we continue our important work on the 2017 appropriations bills, I am proud to support good bills like this one, bills that fulfill their mission in a responsible, targeted way.

I urge all Members to support this bill as well.

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