Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks on the Floor of the House of Representatives in support of H.R. 6617, the Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act.  Below are the Speaker’s remarks:

 

Speaker Pelosi.  Thank you, Madam Speaker.  I thank Madam Chair for the recognition, and I thank you for your strong leadership in bringing this CR to the Floor – but also for your relentless work in negotiating the omnibus, what this is all about. 

 

Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the Continuing Resolution that will keep government open, meet the needs of the American people and honor the values of our nation.  This short-term measure will ensure we have the time we need to finalize negotiations on a strong, bipartisan omnibus to fund the government through the end of the year. 

 

As I commend the gracious Madam Chair, Rosa DeLauro, Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I want to also commend Ranking Member Granger for her leadership as well. 

 

This legislation extends government funding at current levels through March 11th.  To be clear: this bill keeps government open while making virtually no changes to existing funding policy.  The CR does, however, include urgently needed emergency funding to help clean up contaminated drinking water in Hawaii leaking from Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility.  In doing so, we deliver a crucial down payment to help the Navy meet immediate needs and keep families safe. 

 

But, in order to advance our priorities for our country, Madam Speaker, and our communities in the long-term, Congress must enact an omnibus funding package. 

 

For families, a new full-year spending package means strengthening public schools, protecting clean air and clean water, improving public health and ensuring food and consumer safety.  For workers, it means creating new jobs and supporting small businesses.  For our veterans, it means funding for benefits, reducing backlogs for veterans and their families seeking assistance, and meeting the needs of the VA's health care system.  For national security, it means support for our troops, improvements to defense readiness and modernization, the securing of our cyber infrastructure and stronger leadership abroad. 

 

And now that President Biden has proudly signed our Bipartisan Infrastructure bill, it is essential that we enact an omnibus in order to unlock billions in more federal dollars for infrastructure projects.  While they were in the Infrastructure Bill, the money cannot be spent unless we pass the omnibus.  So, help us rebuild our nation while reinvigorating our middle class, creating millions of good-paying jobs, improving roads and bridges, ports and airports, water systems, broadband – especially [rural] broadband and more.

 

As the Preamble to our Constitution states, it is our duty as lawmakers to ‘establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare and secure the Blessings of Liberty for ourselves and our Posterity.’  Today, we uphold that sacred responsibility in the short-term with this Continuing Resolution.  And with our omnibus legislation, which we hope to bring to the Floor soon, we'll take an important step to honor that vision of our Founders.

 

With that, I urge a strong bipartisan ‘aye’ vote, and I yield back the balance of my time.

 

# # #

 

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.