Financial Services and General Government and National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, as chairman of the National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs Subcommittee, I rise in strong support for H.R. 7006.

This full-year funding bill really carries out our Nation's foreign policy in a historic way in so many different aspects. First and foremost, the bill restores fiscal sanity by reducing spending by 16 percent, which is nearly a $10 billion cut, in recognition of the President's and the Secretary of State's effort to make the Department of State, frankly, more efficient, streamlined, and responsive to the national security priorities.

Within these really, I think, dramatic but necessary reductions, the bill will make sure that the Secretary has the resources that he needs to counter our adversaries--adversaries like China, Iran, cartels in our hemisphere, and the regime of Cuba in our hemisphere.

This bill takes serious steps toward confronting, for example, the regime in Cuba and includes limitations on funding for countries and organizations that participate in the human trafficking of Cuban medical professionals while directing the Secretary of State to revoke visas for officials of countries involved in this grotesque human trafficking.

Mr. Chairman, a smart foreign policy doesn't just require opposing our enemies, although that is a big part of it. It means supporting and standing with our allies, with our friends, who can be a force multiplier in our national security interests.

That is why this bill acknowledges our friends and provides robust assistance for allies, partners like Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Taiwan, and the Philippines, to name a few.

Mr. Chairman, for too long, we have ignored our hemisphere, our neighbors in our own region. This bill changes that and provides special emphasis to key partners in the Western Hemisphere who are aligned with our values and our policies, such as Costa Rica, Panama, Paraguay, Argentina, and the Dominican Republic.

This bill increases funding for counter-fentanyl and synthetic drug programs to stop these deadly poisons from crossing our borders and coming to the United States.

It puts American businesses first, prioritizing diplomatic engagement to favorably resolve commercial disputes, disputes abroad, some of them that have been going on for years, to promote American business and American interests overseas.

This bill also makes sure that we are spending money according to our American values.

It increases support for religious freedom and addresses religious persecution.

The bill also maintains longstanding pro-life provisions and enhances oversight and transparency over those requirements.

It protects free speech and prohibits censorship or disinformation and misinformation programs that violate the right of American citizens.

The bill makes double-digit cuts to U.N. funding and gives the Secretary of State the tools and the leverage to demand much-needed reforms there.

These are historic changes in our approach that the American people have been demanding for decades, Mr. Chairman.

The fiscal year 2026 bill removes controversial funding directives from the CR, like the U.N. climate funds and others.

Throughout this process, the goal is to be good stewards of American taxpayer money, to represent our constituents' priorities within this financial funding and, above all, protect the national security of the United States.

Now, this bill would not be here without the help of so many others in this body. I have got to start with the remarkable leadership of Chairman Tom Cole. We wouldn't be here discussing this if it wasn't for him and his partner on the other side of the aisle, and I am so grateful for their leadership and recommendations. Every single member has made this bill so much better. It has shaped this bill, and I am grateful for the contributions. I do need to thank again my dear friend--and we have had some tough issues--the ranking member, Lois Frankel, who has been an amazing partner in putting this bill together, and, by the way, Chairman Brian Mast, another Floridian, who has been incredibly helpful. I also thank my staff, the amazing staff. This bill never would have happened without them; my clerk, Susan Adams, and the entire majority team, as well as the minority staff.

We have no greater duty to the American people than to protect the security of our country while safeguarding tax dollars.

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Mr. DIAZ-BALART. This bill does that. It protects our national security. It protects the hard-earned tax dollars of every American who pays taxes. This bill plays an integral part in the noble endeavor.

Mr. Chair, for that reason, I urge my colleagues to support this measure.

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Mr. DIAZ-BALART. Mr. Chairman, before anything else, I will tell you what I have told Mr. Crane privately. I will say it publicly. I revere his service to the country. We must always thank those who served, and he served honorably.

On this amendment, the bill that we are debating right now substantially reduces spending, while strengthening our national security.

Part of the strategy is to ensure that the most effective tools to achieve this objective are strong and ready to deliver, including the National Endowment for Democracy. Now, remember, NED was a brilliant initiative from President Ronald Reagan to fight communism and enemies abroad, and it succeeded, strengthening democracy forces from within and helping to get rid of the Berlin Wall.

Today, the adversaries of the United States are still there, and they threaten democracy and freedom all over the world. NED, just as envisioned by President Reagan, is needed once again on the forefront of fighting the enemies of the United States.

NED and democracy programs have been supporting those struggling for freedom in the most repressive places in the world. In Iran, China, Cuba, and Venezuela, the people are hitting the streets, and NED is there with them. Those who are anti-American tyrannies are where NED is effective, and that is where we need them now the most.

At this critical time, America cannot turn its back to those who are courageously fighting, advocating for freedom around the world. There is nothing better for our long-term national security than democratic transitions within those anti-American dangerous regimes around the globe, and NED is a pivotal part of that, which is why, with great admiration and respect to the sponsor of this amendment, I must ask for a ``no'' vote.

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