Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Agriculture, Rural Development, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Interior, Environment, Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2022

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. ESCOBAR. Madam Speaker, I am so grateful to the appropriators for including seven funding priorities for my district, El Paso, Texas, in the base bills, including funding for health technology upgrades, police body cameras, drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, and much more.

Each year I work to bring El Paso's voice to the table, and my amendments focus on our priorities.

These amendments include increased funding for the Office of Civil Rights at the Department of Education to support economically disadvantaged communities; emphasizing the need for a binational COVID- 19 vaccination plan; funding for water reuse programs in communities experiencing drought conditions; and several amendments directing funding towards communities like El Paso, so we aren't left behind in the fight against the climate crisis; and so much more.

Lastly, we have witnessed congressionally appropriated funding being irresponsibly diverted by Governors in States like mine, so I am happy to see all subcommittees under this bill include my congressional intent amendment expressing a strong urgency to ensure that States can no longer do this.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source