Hal Rogers: “Mr. Chairman, we present to you H.R. 4690, making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State…”

“Mr. Chairman, we present to you H.R. 4690, making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, and the Federal Judiciary and related agencies for fiscal year 2001. This bill provides funding, Mr. Chairman, for the largest variety of Federal agencies of any bill. The impact ranges from safety on our streets, to the conduct of diplomacy around the world, even to predicting the weather from satellites in outer space. So we will have a chance to talk about a big chunk of the Federal Government when we talk about this bill. The bill requires a very delicate balancing of needs and requirements. We continue in the bill to recognize the very tight funding restraints under which we are required to live because of the 1997 Balanced Budget Act. At the same time, we must keep in mind the most fundamental needs of our Nation, and we have to provide sufficient funds to ensure that those needs are met. This bill recommends, Mr. Chairman, a total of $34.9 billion in discretionary spending, and that is within our allocation from the Congress and the full committee.”