Katie Porter: “I would tell the gentlewoman that our subcommittee is fully aware of the important work performed by the men and women…”

“I would tell the gentlewoman that our subcommittee is fully aware of the important work performed by the men and women of the Office of Emergency Preparedness. The subcommittee's action is in no way a devaluing of their efforts and of the need to respond to national emergencies. The subcommittee only removed the Office as a line item in the agency's budget. The Secretary of Health and Human Services still has the discretion to keep this operation functioning if she deems it a priority.”