Rep. Davis Statement on Funding Bill Passage

Statement

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) tonight released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed a year-long spending bill to fund the federal government.

"The bill passed tonight funds our government for the next year providing certainty for the American people and giving the next Congress an opportunity to operate without being forced to govern from crisis to crisis," said Davis. "Although this is not a perfect bill, it does include many of the individual House-passed appropriation bills. But to return to regular order, where Congress debates each appropriation bill and goes line-by-line through the budget to see what works and what doesn't, we need a willing partner in the Senate.

"I was happy to see that this bill prevents wasteful government spending while including several good provisions essential to Illinois. Among these include funds to improve veterans' access to healthcare, providing our schools with much needed relief from school nutritional regulations, funds for vital transportation projects, and reins in government overregulation."

Highlights from the bill include:

* Provides an additional $209 million to the VA to implement provisions in the new veterans access legislation to improve healthcare for our nations veterans.
* Waiver for School Lunch Regulations- Section 739 of House Committee legislation that establishes a waiver process from the new school lunch regulations if a school can demonstrated a net loss over a six month period.
* The bill includes funding to save the contract tower program and funds TIGER grants.
* Prevents the Army Corps of Engineers from regulating farm ponds and irrigation ditches under the Clean Water Act.
* Included funding for 15 E/A 18-G Growlers to protect our troops, improve national security and benefit working families in Metro East area.

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