Peter Visclosky: “Before I begin with my remarks on the fiscal year (FY) 2021 bill, I would like to briefly discuss some concerns I have…”

“Before I begin with my remarks on the fiscal year (FY) 2021 bill, I would like to briefly discuss some concerns I have as a longtime member of the House Appropriations Committee. The Committee has a unique responsibility. It is charged with funding and oversight of the entire government, and ensuring that it is as effective and as efficient as possible. However, in some ways, the Committee is at its nadir in terms of its ability to achieve bipartisan solutions. In part, this is due to the Budget Control Act of 2011, which is an ill-fated attempt to balance the federal budget by cutting only discretionary spending. Currently, mandatory spending and interest on the debt represent 70 percent of the money spent each year by the federal government. Discretionary spending, which is an investment in the future, makes up just 30 percent of federal spending. When less than 30 percent of young Americans are qualified to join the military, it is clear we need to invest more in our nation's health, education, infrastructure, and jobs. Unfortunately, from my perspective, recent Congresses have mistakenly relied on mandatory spending to avoid making difficult decisions on discretionary spending on an annual basis. A case in point, last week the House passed a bill that will provide much needed funding to address the maintenance backlog in our public lands.…”