Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017
Floor Speech
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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present the Senate amendment to H.R.
5325. This legislation includes the fiscal year 2017 continuing resolution and full-year appropriations for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs. It also includes funding to fight and prevent the spread of the Zika virus and assistance to communities affected by recent, devastating floods.
This is a reasonable and necessary compromise that will keep the government open and operating, address urgent needs across the country, and provide the necessary support for our servicemembers, their families, and our veterans.
First and foremost, Mr. Speaker, this bill helps us avoid the unwarranted damage of a government shutdown by providing the funds required to keep the government open and operational past our September 30 deadline.
The funding is provided at the current rate of $1.067 trillion and lasts through December 9. This short timeframe will allow Congress to complete our annual appropriations work without jeopardizing important government functions.
Secondly, the package contains the full-year Military Construction-VA bill for FY17, which was conferenced by the House and Senate and passed by the House already in June.
In total, $82.5 billion is provided for our military infrastructure and veterans' health and benefits programs, $2.7 billion above current levels, with targeted increases to address mismanagement and improve operations at the VA.
It is important to note that, once the President signs this bill into law, it will be the first time since 2009 that an individual appropriations bill has been conferenced with the Senate and enacted before the September 30 fiscal year deadline.
Third, this legislation includes $1.1 billion in funding to respond to and stop the spread of the Zika virus. This funding is directed to programs that control mosquitoes, develop vaccines, and treat those affected. This funding is spent responsibly, balanced by $400 million in offsets of unused funding from other programs.
Lastly, this legislation includes important provisions that address current national needs, including an additional $37 million to fight the opioid epidemic, which has struck my district especially hard, and an additional $500 million in disaster-designated funding to help States recover and rebuild from recent destructive flooding.
I believe this legislation is a good compromise that this House can and should support. It is not perfect, but it ensures we meet our Nation's current critical needs.
I have said many times before, standing in this exact spot, that a continuing resolution is a last resort. But at this point, it is what we must do to fulfill our congressional responsibility to keep the lights on in our government.
So I urge my colleagues to vote ``aye'' on this necessary legislation so we can send it to the President's desk without delay.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, I salute the gentleman from Louisiana, who has been tirelessly working to help the people in his district and the State of Louisiana for the terrible disaster that has stricken that State.
I thank you for your efforts to share information about this with me and the committee regarding the devastating impacts of the flood. Many of the Members of Congress from across the country that you led to the flooded areas have also reached out to us advocating for assistance to Louisiana.
It is my intention to work with the White House, my colleagues in the Senate, as well as our respective leadership teams over the coming weeks to head off the personal and fiscal calamity so many are facing in south Louisiana. Sir, you have my commitment to work towards that end.
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Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. Mr. Speaker, for all of these reasons that you have heard tonight, we need to pass this bill to keep the government operating--and keep the lights on in the government--and to provide the assistance to the Nation's needs, as you have heard described here. I urge the adoption of the bill.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
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