On the recordNovember 14, 2023
To pay for this, we take money from the NIH buildings and facilities. That is true. However, Mr. Chairman, you know that the way CBO works is that we had to take it from that fund because we expect that money to be replaced from the nonrecurring expense fund at HHS. The CBO won't score it as a savings, but they will score it as a savings if you take it from NIH. Mr. Chair, I get it. Nobody understands how CBO works. It makes no sense. Nevertheless, that money could be backfilled easily because, Mr. Chair, that nonrecurring expense fund at HHS is a slush fund with $1.8 billion in it unspent with moneys each year authorized in the bills to be rolled over to the next year, so there is $1.8 billion sitting at HHS. Mr. Chair, that money would be much better spent on countermeasures. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time. Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Chair, I continue to oppose the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.





