Conference Report on H.R. Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2019

Floor Speech

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Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, today marks a victory in the return to regular order on the Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill. I am proud of the hard work that brought this bill to us, and I want to highlight just a few of the many provisions in the Labor, Health and Human Services section of the bill that all Members can be proud of.

First of all, I want to note that, while the Defense portion of the bill is up $18 billion, the Labor-H portion of the bill is actually only up $1 billion. It is no secret that our friends on the other side wanted a $5.5 billion increase. Our friends in the Senate version actually got a $2.2 billion increase. In the end, the Labor-H bill allocation actually only increased by $1 billion. In fact, almost three-quarters of the bill in front of us is dedicated to defense.

The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education portion of the agreement boosts funding for the National Institutes of Health by $2 billion, continuing our quest to cure diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer, and unlock the secrets of genetic conditions like Down syndrome. We have provided increases to help our Nation prepare for public health emergencies, and included $6.7 billion to fight and, hopefully, end the opioid abuse epidemic, including $1.1 billion of grants to States.

I am also proud to say that the agreement includes $50 million for a new Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund. The fund will not only save American lives, it will save money too. By banking resources now that only can be used in the event of a future infectious disease public health emergency, we will provide the Secretary of Health and Human Services with immediate access to the funds to respond to a new outbreak, without waiting months for Congress to pass a costly supplemental bill.

The conference agreement also increases funding for education and training programs, including a $70 million increase for career and technical education, a $60 million increase for TRIO and GEAR UP programs to help more students obtain solid workplace skills and a career of their choosing.

We increased funds for Impact Aid and charter schools, and provided funds for our veterans to integrate back into the workforce.

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Mr. COLE. We invested in TRIO and GEAR UP, and also in early childhood education.

We have increased programs to help people with disabilities live independently, and to fund early intervention and education services for children with disabilities. We have increased school safety and mental health programs, and increased funding for graduate medical education to train more primary healthcare providers.

Finally, the bill continues the existing pro-life riders, including the Hyde and Weldon amendments. We didn't give an inch on pro-life matters in this bill.

This is a good agreement. I want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, particularly Chairman Frelinghuysen, and my good friend, Ranking Member Lowey. I also want to acknowledge my working partner and good friend, Rosa DeLauro from Connecticut, and all the Members that participated in the process.

But I particularly want to thank the outstanding staff that made this possible: Susan Ross, Jennifer Cama, Justin Gibbons, Kathryn Salmon, and Karyn Richman and Lori Bias on the majority staff; and minority staff Stephen Steigleder and Robin Juliano for their diligence in bringing this across the finish line for the first time in 22 years.

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Mr. COLE. So I look forward to the floor passage and the President's signature.

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