Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 2017

Floor Speech

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Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, it is disappointing that, once again, Republican leaders have failed to complete the appropriations process on time, and decided that critical government funding decisions can be delayed until December. While I will vote for tonight's Continuing Resolution so that our government can keep functioning, I will cast my vote in the hope that Congress will act in December to pass an omnibus spending bill that does more to create jobs, bolster paychecks, improve our infrastructure, and keep our country safe.

The CR includes a badly needed and long-overdue $1.1 billion to fund our fight against the Zika virus. While I would have preferred a bill that funded President Obama's $1.9 billion Zika request, the funding in this resolution is an important first step in helping us to combat Zika's terrible threat. In addition, I am pleased that Republican leaders agreed to stop tying this funding to partisan political tactics, such as gutting the Clean Water Act.

However, I am concerned about several elements of the CR. For example, it hobbles the Export-Import Bank's ability to help American businesses and workers and it prevents the Securities and Exchange Commission from making public companies' political spending more transparent.

Again, I will vote for this CR to keep government doors open. I hope the December omnibus will address the defects I described, and endeavor on many fronts to make our nation more prosperous and secure.

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