Rodney Frelinghuysen: “Let me reassure my colleague that I share his concern for fixing the infrastructure that was damaged in last year's…”

“Let me reassure my colleague that I share his concern for fixing the infrastructure that was damaged in last year's flood events. In fact, we provided, through our committee, $1.7 billion in additional funding to the Corps of Engineers last year for that very purpose. The bill before us now already funds the Flood Control and Coastal Emergencies account at the President's request of $30 million. In addition, the motion would increase funding for the U.S.-Israeli cooperative agreement to 50 percent above last year's level. This is a completely unwarranted increase, considering our bill already maintains funding for this very important program at last year's level, even while we've cut so many programs in our bill to stay within the budget. Mr. Speaker, we put together a strong bipartisan bill which supports a comprehensive energy policy. It maintains a strong national defense, and it maintains the fact that we keep America competitive and keep America open for business. In that regard, Mr. Speaker, in case there is any question, if Members care about the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Project, this bill is your best option. It is $158 million above the President's request, and more than $120 million above the Senate. If you want higher funding levels for these important projects, you must vote for our bill. Mr. Speaker, again, our bill is a commitment to national security, reduced spending, and keeping America open for business.…”