Hal Rogers: “I thank the gentlewoman, my ranking member, for yielding this time; and I rise in opposition to H.R. 7608, the first…”

“I thank the gentlewoman, my ranking member, for yielding this time; and I rise in opposition to H.R. 7608, the first appropriations measure to be considered by the House for fiscal year 2021. The measure before us today, Mr. Speaker, includes four of the 12 annual spending bills. Specifically, it would provide funding for the Departments of State, Agriculture, Interior, as well as Veterans Affairs, and their related agencies and programs. As ranking member of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee, I want to again offer my sincere thanks to Chairwoman Nita Lowey for her collaboration. Her decision to lead this subcommittee, as well as being chairman of the big committee, the full committee, is a testament to her dedication to improving lives around the globe. She has been a tremendous partner in that venture for many years, and we will deeply miss her leadership of our committee and of this subcommittee. But I assure you, Madam Chair, we will continue this work in your memory because you have invested so much of your life in this subcommittee. Division A, the State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill for fiscal year 2021, includes $55.85 billion in non-emergency discretionary funding, and $10 billion in emergency funding for global coronavirus response, for a total of $65.87 billion. Within that total, the bill includes funding for many key priorities that are critical to our national security.…”