Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Chairman, I rise today in support of this first package of FY 2019 appropriations bills. This combined bill that we are talking about today is the start of the process, and it is a good example of how the House is doing its job.

We have had a lot of hearings and we have had a lot of meetings with administration officials over the last several months, and we have talked about their budget and how they justified it and how we are moving through the process.

The Appropriations Committee has now taken action. We have marked up and passed these bills that are before us out of the subcommittee. We have passed them out of the committee. The House has taken action with this legislative package that we will pass tomorrow, and now it is the Senate's turn.

Mr. Chairman, let me point out that the Senate has passed just two appropriations bills through subcommittee and full committee and had floor votes in the Senate since 2012, just two standalone bills in 6 years.

Mr. Chairman, certainly I think it is a real problem. The House is doing its job and it is time for the Senate to do theirs, and they may have to stay in session during the month of August to get their work done.

The President has promised that he will not sign another 12-bill package omnibus bill. We are doing our part here to ensure the process moves forward and that we have the bills to conference with the Senate once they are completed. So I urge my colleagues to support this three- bill package to fund our veterans' healthcare, infrastructure package, and these other important programs.

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