Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024

Floor Speech

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Mr. JOYCE of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the continuing resolution.

Every Member of this body has a duty to ensure that the core, constitutional responsibilities of our government are funded. That work is not easy. Our Democratic colleagues will, of course, have different views on the top-line spending levels and we will have to work through those sharp differences in spending and policy preferences.

Republicans already passed seven fiscal year 2024 bills through the House outlining our priorities. Each of those bills was considered individually and allowed Members of both parties to offer amendments considered on the merits.

Passing bills through regular order is not as clean or as easy as we would like it to be, but it is a better alternative than one huge omnibus bill passed right before Christmas. There is no question about it: More work will be required to enact all 12 appropriations bills into law. The bill before us gives us the time necessary to agree on a top-line spending amount and negotiate difficult policy choices in the final fiscal year 2024 appropriations bills.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairwoman of the full committee, Ms. Granger, for her knowledge, her leadership, and tireless efforts to bring these appropriations bills to the floor, and I look forward to working alongside her as we finish the fiscal year 2024 spending bills.

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