Nita Lowey: “While the House did its work and passed 12 appropriations bills through committee and 10 appropriations bills off the…”

“While the House did its work and passed 12 appropriations bills through committee and 10 appropriations bills off the floor, delays in the Senate mean the appropriations process is behind. With just days until current stopgap funding expires, we must pass a continuing resolution to keep the government open and fund key priorities as we negotiate subcommittee allocations and then finalize individual appropriation bills. This legislation avoids controversial policies and instead contains provisions that reflect shared priorities, including bipartisan language to fully fund a fair and accurate 2020 decennial Census, a 3.1 percent pay raise for our military, and language to prevent a rescission of $7.6 billion in highway funding. In addition to these provisions, the CR includes a package of extenders that will keep health programs critical to American families up and running. By extending these programs and government funding through December 20, this CR will allow additional time to negotiate and enact responsible long-term funding for priorities that make our country safer and stronger and give working families a better chance at a better life. Mr. Speaker, even as we pass this CR today, American families, businesses, and communities need the certainty of full-year funding. To complete the appropriations process, we must first settle allocations with the Senate Republicans.…”