Political Quotes

“Mr. President, this afternoon, the Senate will consider the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2017. The bill will fund the Federal Government for the remainder of this fiscal year. I urge the Senate to approve the bill. It provides our Armed Forces with the money they need to safeguard our homeland and protect our interests around the world. The funding levels are within the limits of the Budget Control Act. In total, the bill will increase Department of Defense spending by $23.6 billion over President Obama's fiscal year 2017 request. These funds are badly needed to improve the readiness of our Armed Forces and to continue our campaign to defeat ISIL. This bill includes the largest investment in border security in nearly a decade. Additional funding is provided for fencing and other physical infrastructure, communications and surveillance technology, the hiring of additional agents, and additional detention beds to help stop the practice of catch and release. These funds will help reduce human trafficking and the flow of illegal drugs into our country. While the additional funds for defense and border security have received much of the attention, there are many other important programs that are funded within the bill. For the second year in a row, providing funding for research at the National Institutes of Health is increased by $2 billion. New funding is included to combat the opioid epidemic that has plagued communities across the country.…”