BISHOP VOTES TO KEEP GOVERNMENT OPEN

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) Chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, Senior Member on the Military, Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies and serves on the Financial Services and General Government issued the following statement after voting in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.J. Res. 31), a bill to fund the federal government for the remainder of the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019:

"I want to thank the bipartisan and bicameral conferees for working so persistently to get something done for the American people. Although, both sides did not get everything they wanted, we cannot allow the perfect to be the enemy of the good.

"I also strongly regret, however, that we are not able to consider the disaster supplemental in this appropriations bill! The House and Senate passed separate bills a month ago that would have provided desperately needed relief to our farmers, ranchers and communities, coast to coast, in Hawaii and the territories that were devastated by tragic disasters but those bills must still be reconciled. I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and the Senate to get this disaster bill passed as fast as we can so the people affected by these natural disasters can get the relief they desperately need."

Watch Floor Remarks Here

The Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.J. Res. 31) covers seven appropriations bills: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Homeland Security; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs; and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies:

Bill Highlights:

The Homeland Security division provides $49.4 billion in discretionary funding, $2 billion above the President's budget request and $1.7 billion above the FY 2018 enacted level. That amount includes $2 billion for defense-related activities, $113 million above the request. Additionally, the division provides $12 billion in major disaster funding.

• Customs and Border Protection - $14.9 billion, $734 million above the President's initial budget request and $942 million above the FY 2018 enacted level.

• Provides $100 million for new border security technology.

• Provides $77 million for opioid equipment and staffing for use at international mail and express consignment facilities.
• Supports significant new investments in the Coast Guard's fleets and facilities, including the first Polar Security Cutter in over 40 years, six new Fast Response Cutters, recapitalization of the MH-60 aircraft program, and an additional C-130 J aircraft.

· Transportation Security Agency (TSA) – $4.9 billion in net discretionary funding, an increase of $884 million above the request and $5 million above the FY 2018 enacted level.

The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies division provides $23.042 billion in discretionary funding, $32 million above the FY2018 enacted level. In addition, it provides the latest estimates for mandatory programs required by law.

· $3.64 billion for Rural Development, including $625 million in funding dedicated for infrastructure investments in Rural America. This total is $1.84 billion above the President's budget request.

· It includes language setting aside funding for persistent poverty counties. It has a modest increase for the Farm Production and Conservation mission area, which includes the Farm Service Agency that provides vital services to our farmers and ranchers.

· Rural Broadband – $550 million for the rural broadband loan and grant pilot program, which is $50 million below the FY2018 enacted level and rejects the President's proposed elimination of the program.

· This includes funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Child Nutrition programs.

· Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) – $6.075 billion in discretionary funding for WIC.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) – $3.08 billion in discretionary funding for the FDA, an increase of $269 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $103 million below the President's budget request. Overall, total FDA funding, including user fee revenues, is $5.67 billion, which is $468 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $52 million below the request.

U.S. Department of Commerce – $11.4 billion in overall discretionary funding for the Department of Commerce, an increase of $276.6 million above the FY 2018 enacted level and $1.6 billion above the President's budget request.

U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) – $30.9 billion overall for the Department of Justice, which is more than $638 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $2.1 billion above the President's budget request.

· United States Attorneys – $ 2.2 billion, an increase of $75 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $107 million above the President's budget request.

· United States Marshals Service – $2.93 billion, an increase of $25 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $104 million above the President's budget request.

· Federal Bureau of Investigation – $9.6 billion, an increase of $177 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $653 million above the President's budget request.

The Financial Services and General Government division provides $23.42 billion in discretionary funding, equal to the FY 2018 enacted level and $84 million below the President's budget request, not including program integrity.

• Departmental Offices — $214.6 million, an increase of $12.8 million above the FY 2018 enacted level and the President's budget request. This boost in resources will enable Treasury to cover implementation costs associated with the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018.
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — $11.3 billion, which is an increase of $75 million above the FY 2018 enacted level for base operations and $127 million more than the President's budget request (not including program integrity). The bill includes $77 million designated for implementation of FY 2017 tax legislation. In addition, the bill provides increases above FY 2018 enacted levels for Operations Support (+$90 million) and Business Systems Modernization (+$40 million).

The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies division provides $35.6 billion in discretionary funding, $7.3 billion above the President's budget request and $300 million above the FY2018 enacted level.

· Bureau of Land Management — $1.31 billion in discretionary funding, an increase of $14 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $323 million above the President's budget request.

· U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — $1.58 billion, which is $17 million below the FY2018 enacted level and $352 million above the President's budget request.

· National Park Service — $3.22 billion, an increase of $20 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $521 million above the President's budget request.

· Land and Water Conservation Fund — $435 million, which is $10 million above the FY 2018 enacted level and $435 million above the President's budget request.

The State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs division provides $54.2 billion in discretionary funding, including $8 billion in OCO funding. This is $11.9 billion above the President's request, and $200 million above the fiscal year 2018 enacted level.

· President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) - $5.7 billion, which is $50 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $945 million above the President's budget request. This includes $1.35 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.

· U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) – $1.37 billion in total funding for the operating expenses of USAID, which is $25 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $258 million above the President's budget request.

The Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies division provides $71.1 billion in discretionary funding, $23.1 billion above the President's budget request and $1 billion above the FY2018 enacted level. The total includes more than $17 billion in funding for new infrastructure projects in addition to $59 billion for infrastructure from dedicated fuel and aviation taxes.

· National Infrastructure Investments (TIGER or BUILD)—$900 million, a decrease of $600 million below the FY2018 enacted level and $900 million above the President's budget request. The funding will be allocated 50 percent to urban areas and 50 percent to rural areas.

· Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)—$17.5 billion, which is $549 million below the FY2018 enacted level and $1.3 billion above the President's budget request. Within this amount, Airport Improvement Program grants receive an additional $500 million to accelerate infrastructure investments at airports.

· Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)—$49.3 billion, an increase of $1.8 billion above the FY2018 enacted level and $3.5 billion above the President's budget request. Within this amount, Highway Infrastructure Programs are funded at $3.3 billion for highway and bridge rehabilitation and construction as well as safety improvements at railroad grade crossings.

· Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA)—$667 million, which is $178 million below the FY2018 enacted level and $1 million above the President's budget request.

· National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)—$966 million, an increase of $19 million above the FY2018 enacted level and $52 million above the President's budget request.