Lucille Roybal-Allard: “The low level of funding in the omnibus bill for the Labor-HHS Subcommittee is far from meeting the needs of our…”

“The low level of funding in the omnibus bill for the Labor-HHS Subcommittee is far from meeting the needs of our country. Nevertheless I will support the bill because this compromised measure does make important improvements in health promotion, medical research, Head Start, and Job Corps. I commend Ranking Members Lowey, DeLauro, and their staff, who passionately fought to protect the programs decimated by sequestration. I am particularly grateful the bill fully funds STOP Act programs so we can continue the progress we have made against the public health crisis of underage drinking. I am pleased it funds newborn screening programs that save the lives of babies with genetic disorders. Madam Speaker, spending bills are a statement of our values and our priorities as Americans. Unfortunately, this bill falls short of truly reflecting those values in critically underfunded programs like Healthy Start and Hispanic-serving institutions. My hope is that our 2015 appropriations bill will, in fact, reflect our commitment to investing in a better future for all Americans, including the most vulnerable among us. {time} 1330 Far be it from me to debate too much about what goes on in the United States Senate, but I do think it is worth adding for the record that, since July of this year, Republicans in the Senate have been allowed to submit exactly four amendments. So I think we know who holds the world's record in terms of keeping the minority off the floor.…”