John Moolenaar: “I thank Chairman Cole, Chairman Frelinghuysen, and the entire Committee on Appropriations, as well as the President and…”

“I thank Chairman Cole, Chairman Frelinghuysen, and the entire Committee on Appropriations, as well as the President and congressional leaders in both the House and the Senate for their work on this bipartisan appropriations bill. This legislation is not perfect, but it addresses many priorities for the people of Michigan and the United States. It funds the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which protects the Great Lakes. It instructs the Army Corps of Engineers to turn over its report on stopping Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes. It funds important scientific research at Michigan State University, and it continues support for vaccines against emerging threats. It also commits funding for cures research at the National Institutes of Health, including the fight against Alzheimer's, so we can work on stopping this nefarious disease that steals golden years from our seniors. For the rural communities in my district, this legislation increases funding for rural development grants and the Farm Service Agency. This legislation promotes border security and integrity, providing more money for Customs and Border Patrol and increasing the number of Border Patrol agents hired. This legislation will ensure that our men and women in uniform have the resources they need to keep us safe from threats, including North Korea, Russia, Iran, and ISIS. This legislation makes important cuts, including eliminating wasteful funding for U.N.…”