Patty Murray Leads Senate Appropriations Committee Markup Of Pending Legislation

4 months ago

On Thursday, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) led a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on pending legislation.

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Transcript

00:00:00Good morning.

00:00:06The committee will come to order.

00:00:08Today, the committee will consider the fiscal year 2025 appropriations bills recommended

00:00:14by the Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies, the Subcommittee on

00:00:20Defense, the Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services, and Education and Related

00:00:25Agencies.

00:00:26We are still working on a path forward on FSGG.

00:00:30We hope to be able to vote on that as well, and we'll be working on that.

00:00:34So I just would like all members to know at the top, we'll be voting on three of the bills.

00:00:37We will come back and vote on the fourth as soon as we get an agreement on how we're going

00:00:41to move forward on that.

00:00:43With that, I will begin with some opening remarks.

00:00:46Next, the vice chair will give her opening remarks.

00:00:49And as soon as the opening remarks have concluded and everyone is here, I intend to begin voting

00:00:55on final passage of the three bills that I mentioned, the other one when we can get

00:00:59to an agreement.

00:01:00We have a number of other committees meeting this morning and a short window to have all

00:01:04of our members here, so I ask everyone to please be here as soon as possible so we can

00:01:09have full attendance and get the votes done by 10 o'clock.

00:01:12Following the four votes, we will move to the consideration of amendments to the Energy

00:01:16and Water Bill, the Defense Bill, the LHHS Bill, and the FSGG Bill when we have that

00:01:22ready to move forward.

00:01:24With that, I want to thank Senator Kennedy, who is my ranking member of the Energy and

00:01:28Water Subcommittee, Senator Tester and Collins, who are the Defense Subcommittee and ranking

00:01:36member, Senators Baldwin and Capito, the LHHS Subcommittee Chair and ranking member, and

00:01:42Senators Van Hollen and Hagerty, the FSGG Subcommittee Chair and ranking member.

00:01:46Everyone has worked very hard to pull together their bills, and as this committee knows,

00:01:51we've already passed over half of our FY25 funding bills, seven of them, in fact, in

00:01:56overwhelming bipartisan votes.

00:01:59We are on track to continue that progress today by wrapping up work on more bills, and

00:02:04we're continuing to work hard to get to a bipartisan agreement on the Homeland Security

00:02:09Bill.

00:02:10The additional time we've allowed our committee is to take a closer look at the issues, such

00:02:14as the Secret Service budget, as we learn more from the assassination attempt of former

00:02:19President Trump just over two weeks ago.

00:02:22My hope is that we will be able to mark that bill up when we return.

00:02:27In the meantime, before us today are strong bipartisan bills that make crucial investment

00:02:31in our nation's future.

00:02:33By working together, finding common ground, and rejecting dangerous cuts and extreme policy,

00:02:38we have once again produced strong bipartisan bills that increase support for families,

00:02:43strengthen our national security, invest in our economy and competitiveness, and can actually

00:02:48be signed into law.

00:02:50These bills make common sense investments in programs that make a real difference for

00:02:54our nation's future.

00:02:55There are investments here that strengthen our economy through workforce development,

00:03:00cutting-edge scientific and biomedical research, support for small business, and major support

00:03:05for our infrastructure and waterways that are crucial to trade, agriculture, and more.

00:03:11There are investments in these bills to make families' lives a little easier and help parents

00:03:15make ends meet, like increased funding for childcare, our K-12 public schools, and to

00:03:20help students get a higher education, support for community health care and public health

00:03:25work, resources to make sure families can afford heating and A.C., and much more.

00:03:31There are investments to protect our environment, whether it's restoring ecosystems for key

00:03:35species like salmon, addressing extreme weather dangers like flooding, or environmental cleanup

00:03:42like at the Hanford nuclear site.

00:03:45And there are investments to protect people in every corner of the country, protect our

00:03:48nation, and protect our democracy, whether that be protecting consumers from fraud, protecting

00:03:54communities from opioids and pandemics, protecting our electrical grid from cyberattacks, protecting

00:04:00our elections from bad actors and foreign interference, or protecting our nation with

00:04:05strong strategic defense investments.

00:04:08These are really critical investments we're talking about today, so I'm glad we were able

00:04:12to work together like families back home expect us to do and write bills that meet

00:04:17the challenges of this moment and set our country up for success.

00:04:20These are serious, bipartisan bills, bills with funding priorities that can actually

00:04:25be signed into law, and I hope we are able to get each of them across the finish line

00:04:29today.

00:04:30With that, I will turn it over to Vice Chair Collins for any comments she would like to

00:04:33make.

00:04:34Thank you very much, Chair Murray, for convening today's markup, our third of the fiscal year

00:04:412025 appropriations cycle.

00:04:45Over the last several weeks, we've made much progress, approving by significant bipartisan

00:04:51votes seven of the 12 annual appropriations bills.

00:04:55Today, we take the critical next step by considering what I hope will be four bills that are critical

00:05:03to our national security and to the health and well-being of American families and our

00:05:10economy.

00:05:11First will be the Energy and Water Development Funding Bill.

00:05:14This bill will help strengthen America's energy independence and embraces an all-of-the-above

00:05:21approach to energy research, development, and deployment.

00:05:27Critical water infrastructure projects that provide for safe navigation and flood control

00:05:33are funded.

00:05:35It also invests in nuclear deterrence during a period of growing geopolitical tensions.

00:05:42I commend Chair Murray and Ranking Member Kennedy for their hard work on this bill.

00:05:49Second, we will consider the Defense Appropriations Bill that Chair Tester and I have drafted.

00:05:55I'll have more to say about that later, but let me briefly note that this bill provides

00:06:01resources that are very much needed to strengthen our military services and defense industrial

00:06:08base while investing in our men and women in uniform.

00:06:11Next, we will turn to the Labor, HHS, and Education Bill.

00:06:17I want to thank Chair Baldwin and Ranking Member Capito for their tremendous work.

00:06:24This bill supports life-saving biomedical research, including through targeted funding

00:06:29increases for Alzheimer's, cancer, Lyme disease, mental health, and diabetes.

00:06:35It also provides significant resources for substance abuse prevention and treatment programs

00:06:42to help combat the scourge of fentanyl and other illicit drugs plaguing our communities.

00:06:50This bill also supports families by investing in education and increasing resources for

00:06:57affordable child care, promoting financial stability for working parents, and benefiting

00:07:04our economy.

00:07:06Finally, it is my hope that we will be able to turn to the Financial Services and General

00:07:12Government Bill, which is under the leadership of Chair Van Hollen and Ranking Member Hagerty,

00:07:19who have devoted tremendous time to this bill.

00:07:22It covers a wide swath of federal government funding issues, from anti-terrorism efforts

00:07:28at Treasury to the operation and protection of the Judicial Branch.

00:07:34Given increased threats to the Supreme Court justices in recent years, this bill provides

00:07:39increased funding for residential security for the justices.

00:07:45I am pleased that the bill provides vital safeguards to protect taxpayer information.

00:07:52I do believe that ultimately we should have a rescission of the Inflation Reduction Act

00:07:59IRS funding, but I strongly support moving forward with the bill today, and that is an

00:08:07issue we will continue to work on to reach agreement in conference.

00:08:11Again, I want to thank Chair Van Hollen and Ranking Member Hagerty for their work.

00:08:17Before moving to votes on these bills, I would note that work also continues in earnest

00:08:23on the Homeland Security Bill.

00:08:25That bill provides critical resources to secure our borders, support our Coast Guard, and

00:08:31fund important state and local grant programs, including assistance to firefighters.

00:08:37It also, as the Chair mentioned, funds the Secret Service, which given the recent assassination

00:08:44attempt on President Trump and changes atop the Democratic presidential ticket, requires

00:08:51additional time, consideration, and scrutiny.

00:08:55I thank the Chair and all of our members for their continued work.

00:09:02Thank you.

00:09:03It is now time to start voting.

00:09:04I note the presence of a quorum, and I will turn to Senator Collins to make the customary

00:09:07motion for the Energy and Water, Defense, and LHS bills.

00:09:12Madam Chair, I move that the committee report favorably an original bill making appropriations

00:09:22for Energy and Water Development and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September

00:09:2830th, 2025, and for other purposes, an original bill making appropriations for the Department

00:09:34of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30th, 2025, and for other purposes, and an

00:09:41original bill making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services,

00:09:47and Education and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30th, 2025, and

00:09:53for other purposes, provided that each bill be subject to amendment and that each bill

00:09:59be consistent with its budget allocation, provided further that the Chair of the Committee

00:10:04or the Chair of the Subcommittee reporting the original bill be authorized to offer the

00:10:09substance of the original bill as the committee amendment in the nature of a substitute to

00:10:14the House companion measure.

00:10:17Without objection, so ordered.

00:10:18We will now vote to report the Energy and Water bill favorably subject to amendment.

00:10:22The clerk will call the roll.

00:10:23Senator Durbin?

00:10:24Aye.

00:10:25Senator Reed?

00:10:26Aye.

00:10:27Senator Tester?

00:10:28Aye.

00:10:29Senator Shaheen?

00:10:30Aye.

00:10:31Senator Merkley?

00:10:32Aye.

00:10:33Senator Coons?

00:10:34Aye.

00:10:35Senator Schatz?

00:10:36Aye.

00:10:37Senator Baldwin?

00:10:38Aye.

00:10:39Senator Mnuchin?

00:10:40Aye.

00:10:41Senator Van Hollen?

00:10:42Aye.

00:10:43Senator Heinrich?

00:10:44Aye.

00:10:45Senator Peters?

00:10:46Aye.

00:10:47Senator Sinema?

00:10:48Aye.

00:10:49Senator Collins?

00:10:50Aye.

00:10:51Senator McConnell?

00:10:52Aye by proxy.

00:10:53Senator Murkowski?

00:10:54Aye.

00:10:55Senator Graham?

00:10:56Aye.

00:10:57Senator Moran?

00:10:58Aye.

00:10:59Senator Hoeven?

00:11:00Aye.

00:11:01Senator Sposman?

00:11:02Aye.

00:11:03Senator Capito?

00:11:04Aye.

00:11:05Senator Kennedy?

00:11:06Aye.

00:11:07Senator Heisman?

00:11:09Aye.

00:11:10Senator Hagerty?

00:11:11Aye.

00:11:12Senator Britt?

00:11:13Aye.

00:11:14Senator Rubio?

00:11:15Aye.

00:11:16Senator Fischer?

00:11:17Aye.

00:11:18And Senator Murray?

00:11:19Aye.

00:11:20On this vote, there are 27 ayes, zero nays.

00:11:29The bill is agreed to.

00:11:32Next we will vote to report the defense bill favorably subject to amendment and the clerk

00:11:35will call the roll.

00:11:36Senator Durbin?

00:11:37Aye.

00:11:38Senator Reed?

00:11:39Aye.

00:11:40Senator Tester?

00:11:41Aye.

00:11:42Senator Shaheen?

00:11:43Aye.

00:11:44Senator Murkley?

00:11:45Aye.

00:11:46Senator Coons?

00:11:47Aye.

00:11:48Senator Schatz?

00:11:49Aye.

00:11:50Senator Baldwin?

00:11:51Aye.

00:11:52Senator Murphy?

00:11:53Aye.

00:11:54Senator Manchin?

00:11:55Aye.

00:11:56Senator Van Hollen?

00:11:57Aye.

00:11:58Senator Heinrich?

00:11:59Aye.

00:12:00Senator Peters?

00:12:01Aye.

00:12:02Senator Sinema?

00:12:03Aye.

00:12:04Senator Collins?

00:12:05Aye.

00:12:06Senator McConnell?

00:12:07Aye.

00:12:08Senator Graham?

00:12:09Aye.

00:12:10Senator Moran?

00:12:11Aye.

00:12:12Senator Coburn?

00:12:13Aye.

00:12:14Senator Bozeman?

00:12:15Aye.

00:12:16Senator Capito?

00:12:17Aye.

00:12:18Senator Kennedy?

00:12:19Senator Kennedy?

00:12:20Aye.

00:12:21Senator Hyde-Smith?

00:12:22Aye.

00:12:23Senator Hagerty?

00:12:24Aye.

00:12:25Senator Britt?

00:12:26Aye.

00:12:27Senator Rubio?

00:12:28Aye.

00:12:29Senator Fischer?

00:12:30Aye.

00:12:31Senator Murray?

00:12:32Aye.

00:12:33On this vote, there are 28 ayes, zero nays.

00:12:43The bill is agreed to.

00:12:45Next we will vote to report the LHHS bill favorably subject to amendment.

00:12:49Clerk, call the roll.

00:12:50Senator Durbin?

00:12:51Aye.

00:12:52Senator Reed?

00:12:53Aye.

00:12:54Senator Tester?

00:12:55Aye.

00:12:56Senator Shaheen?

00:12:57Aye.

00:12:58Senator Merkley?

00:12:59Aye.

00:13:00Senator Coons?

00:13:01Aye.

00:13:02Senator Schatz?

00:13:03Aye.

00:13:04Senator Murphy?

00:13:05Aye.

00:13:06Senator Manchin?

00:13:07Aye.

00:13:08Senator Van Hollen?

00:13:09Aye.

00:13:10Senator Heinrich?

00:13:11Aye.

00:13:12Senator Peters?

00:13:13Aye.

00:13:14Senator Sinema?

00:13:15Aye.

00:13:16Senator Collins?

00:13:17Aye.

00:13:18Senator McConnell?

00:13:19Aye by proxy.

00:13:20Senator Murkowski?

00:13:21Aye.

00:13:22Senator Graham?

00:13:23Aye.

00:13:24Senator Moran?

00:13:25Aye.

00:13:26Senator Hogan?

00:13:27Aye.

00:13:28Senator Bozeman?

00:13:29Aye.

00:13:30Senator Capito?

00:13:31Aye.

00:13:33Senator Hagerty?

00:13:34No.

00:13:35Senator Britt?

00:13:36Aye.

00:13:37Senator Rubio?

00:13:38Aye.

00:13:39Senator Fischer?

00:13:40Aye.

00:13:41Senator Murray?

00:13:42Aye.

00:13:43On this vote, there are 26 ayes, 2 nays.

00:13:53The bill is agreed to.

00:13:55Senator Collins, is there a motion you need to make?

00:13:57Yes.

00:13:58Courtesy to the leaders, Senator McConnell has asked to be recorded as present in voting

00:14:04aye on the Energy and Water Development Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, aye on the Department

00:14:12of Defense Appropriations Bill, and aye on the Departments of Labor, HHS, and Education

00:14:18Related Agencies Appropriations Bill.

00:14:23I ask that the committee grant this request, as it would not set a formal precedent, nor

00:14:29would it change any vote outcomes.

00:14:31Without objection, Senator Britt?

00:14:34Madam Chair, I ask to be recorded as a yes on the Energy and Water Bill, please.

00:14:38Without objection, the vote on that bill is 28 ayes, 0 nays, the bill is agreed to.

00:14:48We will now turn to consideration of the FY25 Energy and Water Development Appropriations

00:14:53Bill.

00:14:54First of all, I want to start by thanking Senator Kennedy for his work on the bill and

00:14:58his focused leadership to help get this bill to this point.

00:15:01I also want to thank his staff, including Lindsey Garcia, Kathleen Williams, Rachel

00:15:06Littleton, and Anna Newton, and my staff, Doug Clapp, Erin Goldner, Laura Powell, Maria

00:15:11Calderon, and Amanda Wyma-Bridley for their incredible work to produce this bipartisan

00:15:17bill.

00:15:18It really does take a tremendous effort to put these bills together, and I really do

00:15:23appreciate everyone's hard work to get us to this point.

00:15:27This bill makes some truly crucial investments for our nation.

00:15:30Our ports, our harbors, our waterways are the beating heart of trade, agriculture, and

00:15:35commerce throughout our nation, and, of course, they are also a cornerstone of invaluable,

00:15:41irreplaceable ecosystems, and that is especially true in my state of Washington, which is why

00:15:46I worked really hard to strengthen investments throughout this bill that will help us protect

00:15:50and maintain these crucial resources, from funding for the Army Corps of Engineers, the

00:15:55Bureau of Reclamation, to a robust funding level for the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund,

00:16:00and I pushed hard to make sure that ports in states like mine and many others get their

00:16:05fair share of those funds.

00:16:07Ecosystem restoration projects funded in this bill, like the Howard Hanson Dam Fish Passage

00:16:12Facility, will help us protect keystone species, like salmon, which are truly a way of life

00:16:17in my home state.

00:16:19Other investments in this bill will help prepare our communities and support infrastructure

00:16:23to help keep people safe during extreme weather events and flooding that, as we all know,

00:16:28has become more frequent.

00:16:30This bill provides significant new resources for scientific discovery at our national labs,

00:16:36like PNNL, that are working on breakthrough technologies that will define the future,

00:16:41including energy, AI, advanced computing, and more.

00:16:44These resources are so important to making sure America remains the world leader in innovation.

00:16:50This bill also includes important funding to protect our energy grid and improve cybersecurity

00:16:56and grid resilience, so we can keep the lights on when disaster and emergencies strike, and

00:17:04funding for climate research and renewable energy, including to strengthen our grid and

00:17:08build more transmission as we transition to clean energy.

00:17:12It invests in nuclear nonproliferation programs and provides record funding to live up to

00:17:17our obligations to our communities when it comes to environmental cleanup.

00:17:22On that last point, I thought especially hard to increase environmental cleanup investments

00:17:26in this bill and secure a significant increase in funding for Hanford site in Washington

00:17:32State.

00:17:33Some of my colleagues have been hearing me talk about Hanford for years, and I believe

00:17:37very strongly that the federal government has a moral and legal obligation to clean

00:17:42this up seriously.

00:17:44I will never let us forget about it.

00:17:46Overall, this bill includes many investments that are crucial to our nation's strength,

00:17:50economy, and security.

00:17:52I again want to thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for working through all

00:17:56of these important issues in this bill.

00:17:58Senator Kennedy.

00:18:01Thank you, Madam Chair.

00:18:10Senator Murr, I enjoyed working with you.

00:18:14I want to read some names.

00:18:18Lindsey Garcia, Anna Newton, Katie Williams, Rachel Littleton, Doug Clapp, Erin Goldner,

00:18:29Laura Powell, Maria Calderon, and Amanda Weema Bradley.

00:18:39Those are the members of our staff on both sides of the aisle, and they worked very hard,

00:18:46and I want to thank them.

00:18:49They're kind of unsung heroes, so I don't know, maybe now they'll be sung heroes.

00:19:01This is not a bad bill.

00:19:04Could be better.

00:19:06We're spending more money on defense.

00:19:12In particular, our plutonium pit production, our nation's weapons systems, the nuclear-armed

00:19:22sea-launched cruise missile.

00:19:29My biggest disappointment, as you know, and I don't want to overstate it, the world's

00:19:35not going to spin off its axes, but we've got more work to do.

00:19:42As you know, a big portion of the energy and water development bill is defense, and so

00:19:47how we define defense matters.

00:19:50We also have a problem in our country with nuclear contamination, many sites, and that's

00:19:58an environmental concern.

00:19:59Technically, it's defense, but to me, it's more environmental, and we obviously have

00:20:04to address those.

00:20:07Senator Murray and I disagree over whether that is a defense expenditure or a non-defense

00:20:14expenditure.

00:20:16I think it's non-defense.

00:20:19I think when we call it defense, this is my point of view and only my point of view, when

00:20:25we call it defense, we give the impression to our constituents and taxpayers that we're

00:20:31spending money on defense when we're really not.

00:20:35But as we all know, this bill has a long way to go.

00:20:40I applaud our efforts here.

00:20:41I support them.

00:20:42I think I voted for all the bills.

00:20:45I think we all recognize, to a large extent, this is play-acting.

00:20:48At some point, we're going to have to reach agreement on 302B allocations.

00:20:55I know we've taken a vote.

00:20:56It was a purely partisan vote.

00:20:58I'd like to see us sit down and negotiate that.

00:21:02We also have got to convince Senator Schumer, my friend Senator Schumer, to bring the bills

00:21:10to the floor, and we've got to talk to our House members, so we've got a long way to

00:21:15go.

00:21:16Final point.

00:21:21We are starting to discuss extending the cuts in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, and that's

00:21:33a discussion we need to have.

00:21:36To me, the way we ought to start is taking a look at what worked and what didn't work,

00:21:43and if it worked, we ought to do it again, we ought to order a dozen.

00:21:47If it didn't work, we shouldn't do it, but we're not going to be able to do that

00:21:52in a vacuum.

00:21:56We all know we have to spend more money on defense.

00:22:00We just do.

00:22:02I don't want to have to learn Mandarin at my age.

00:22:08We've got to spend more money on defense.

00:22:11We cannot ignore the fact, I don't want to get into whose fault it is, that we're

00:22:15running deficits, and those deficits become debt.

00:22:21If we keep going, at the rate we're going, we're going to run out of digits.

00:22:27Sooner or later, we're going to have to take a look at our budget.

00:22:33I'm not criticizing anybody, I'm a part of it, but we've got to stop creating exceptions

00:22:39and emergencies that aren't really emergencies, and really sit down and have a frank discussion

00:22:46how we're going to balance all these competing interests.

00:22:51For me, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act issue will be the propellant that we need.

00:23:03That's just one person's point of view, but I bet Tester agrees with me.

00:23:11Thank you, Madam Chair.

00:23:12Thank you, Senator Kennedy.

00:23:14All of you have a bipartisan manager's package in front of you.

00:23:18Are there any objections to the manager's package?

00:23:22Seeing none, the manager's package is agreed to, and at this point, are there any members

00:23:26who wish to speak to or offer an amendment on the Energy and Water Bill?

00:23:33Senator Sheehan?

00:23:34I would just like to make a brief comment, because I want to thank you and Senator Kennedy

00:23:39for the increase in funding to support the Army Corps in addressing small and remote

00:23:44subsistence harbors across the country.

00:23:47This has been a real shortfall for a long time, and I appreciate also the continued

00:23:52inclusion of language directing the Corps to expedite the maintenance at smaller ports.

00:23:58We need them in our small communities that have those ports for continued growth.

00:24:02So thank you, and thank you to the committee.

00:24:06Senator Britt?

00:24:07Thank you, Chair Murray.

00:24:08I'd like to thank you and Ranking Member Kennedy for your work on this bill.

00:24:12I was proud to support the FY25 Energy and Water Appropriations Act today, and it includes

00:24:17a number of provisions that are important to the great state of Alabama, including that

00:24:23of Selma.

00:24:24So most Americans know about Selma because of its pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement,

00:24:29including Bloody Sunday and the courageous march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge that

00:24:34is commemorated every year at the Jubilee.

00:24:37Sadly, a mere few feet from that very bridge, history is literally falling into the river.

00:24:45Due to years of erosion along the bank of the Alabama River, the stability of multiple

00:24:49historic buildings in Selma, including many of those that have a direct connection to

00:24:55the Civil Rights Movement, are threatened.

00:24:58I have been proud to work alongside my friend, Congresswoman Terri Sewell, to devote resources

00:25:03to ensure that the U.S. Army Corps can continue its critical work on the Selma, Alabama Flood

00:25:09Risk Management and River Bank Stabilization Project.

00:25:13The FY25 Energy and Water Development Appropriations Act includes $550,000 in federal funding for

00:25:20the Corps to continue their efforts this year.

00:25:24Combined with $300,000 included in the FY25 Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development

00:25:29Act, the important work to save these historic buildings will be able to continue.

00:25:34Furthermore, the Energy and Water Bill includes report language directing the Delta Regional

00:25:39Authority to consider disaster recovery projects in distressed areas included in a disaster

00:25:45declaration as basic public infrastructure or basic public services.

00:25:51As many on this committee know, an EF2 tornado with top winds of 130 miles per hour barreled

00:25:58through Selma on January 12, 2023.

00:26:03The devastation to this historic city was tremendous.

00:26:08And more than 18 months later, you can still see the scars carved in the city and the surrounding

00:26:13areas in the Black Belt.

00:26:16This provision will help direct needed federal resources to help the people of Selma.

00:26:22I want to thank the efforts of the committee staff, in particular, Anna Newton and Maria

00:26:27Calderon, for working with my team on this important effort.

00:26:31And I would also like to give a special thank you to my colleagues across the aisle for

00:26:37working so closely with me on this.

00:26:40Senator Chris Coons from Delaware and Senator Brian Schatz of Hawaii, who serve constituencies

00:26:46miles away from this location.

00:26:48But they understand that the history of Selma is important not just for the state of Alabama.

00:26:54It's important for our nation and it's important for the globe.

00:26:57Thank you so much for working with me on this.

00:26:59I greatly appreciate it.

00:27:01Thank you.

00:27:02Senator Chester?

00:27:03I, too, want to thank you, Madam Chair and Ranking Member Kennedy, for the work you've

00:27:07done on this bill.

00:27:08It's a really good bill.

00:27:10I want to tell you there's one project in Montana that the Bureau of Reclamation did

00:27:18or our forefathers did, I should say, in the early 1900s.

00:27:22It took water from the St. Mary's drainage and put it into the milk through a set of

00:27:28canals and siphons.

00:27:30The reason this is important is because the Milk River would run dry six out of ten years

00:27:34if this didn't happen.

00:27:35Well, guess what happened?

00:27:36In a project that's over 110 years old, that's older than you, Kennedy.

00:27:42This facility failed and it failed a few weeks ago.

00:27:46Look, we pushed the administration.

00:27:49They have stepped up and they've used emergency spending to get dirt moving and get this project

00:27:53going because our system in Montana to be able to redo projects like this is limited

00:28:02by weather.

00:28:03So, the administration has moved, but the fact is this committee stepped up in a big

00:28:08way and put some dollars in to allow the Bureau of Rec to do this project and to get water

00:28:15flowing to help towns along the milk and to help 120,000 acres of irrigated land.

00:28:21I can't thank you enough for the work that the committee did because quite honestly,

00:28:26water is life and without water, folks cannot exist.

00:28:31This project is really important for life along the northern tier of Montana, so thank

00:28:36you both.

00:28:37Madam Chair.

00:28:38Senator Kennedy.

00:28:39Madam Chair, for the record, Senator Tester's first car was a chariot.

00:28:51Are there any other Senators who would like to address?

00:28:55Senator Berkley.

00:28:56Thank you, Madam Chair, and I will offer and withdraw this amendment, but I want to make

00:29:00the point.

00:29:01This amendment bans the Department of Energy from approving export facilities that enable

00:29:08LNG to be exported to China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, and Belarus.

00:29:16Currently these exports are, first, in terms of climate, the worst form of fossil energy.

00:29:23Worse than local coal.

00:29:25Worse than oil.

00:29:26Worse than any other form.

00:29:28Second of all, we're helping our competitors, and in case of several countries, our enemies,

00:29:34while we are making prices higher for American consumers who depend on gas to heat their

00:29:38homes, heat their water, and cook their food.

00:29:42So we're helping our enemies.

00:29:43We're hurting Americans, but in conversation over the basic framework of the entire bill,

00:29:51I'll withdraw it at this point.

00:29:57Are there any other Senators who wish to address the committee on this bill?

00:30:03Seeing none, this bill will be reported as amended.

00:30:09We will now turn to consideration of the FY25 bill recommended by the Defense Subcommittee.

00:30:14I want to thank Senator Tester and Senator Collins and their staff for all of this work

00:30:19on this important bill.

00:30:20I know members on both sides of the aisle feel very strongly that we meet this moment

00:30:25with robust defense investments, and I appreciate the bipartisan work that has gone into making

00:30:30sure we not only provided new investments in this bill, but there are also increases

00:30:35for funding that families need here at home as well.

00:30:39I'm pleased the agreement we reached has made it possible to write a strong defense bill

00:30:42that makes important investments in building our military supply chains and capacity, providing

00:30:49the equipment and training our forces need, and investing in our military families and

00:30:53the brave men and women in uniform who are our nation's most invaluable asset.

00:30:59This bill builds on the critical work we did in the National Security Supplemental to counter

00:31:04Russia's aggression, the influence of the Chinese government in the Indo-Pacific, and

00:31:08a lot more.

00:31:09Senator Tester, I will turn it over to you for your opening remarks.

00:31:12Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair, and I want to thank you and Senator Collins for your bipartisan

00:31:16efforts to move the appropriations process forward.

00:31:19You know better, you both know better than anybody, the devastating effects of continuing

00:31:24resolutions and government shutdowns.

00:31:27We wrapped up last year's defense budget just a few months ago, so some might wonder why

00:31:32we're already looking forward to next year.

00:31:34Well, I want to remind everybody that last year's budget got done six months, six months

00:31:39late.

00:31:41As a result of that, our sailors, our soldiers, our airmen, our Marines, our space guardians

00:31:47were fighting literally with one hand tied behind their back.

00:31:51How do we hold defense contractors accountable when we don't do our job?

00:31:57We have got to get our budgets done on time.

00:31:59The global security situation that we see today is as dangerous as it's ever been.

00:32:05I want to repeat that.

00:32:06The global security situation we see today is as dangerous as it's ever been.

00:32:13Proof points, just last week, Russian and Chinese bombers entered the Alaska air defense

00:32:17zone some 150 miles off the United States coast.

00:32:20It's the first time that Chinese bombers operated in that area, and they did it jointly with

00:32:24the Russians.

00:32:26This is alarming.

00:32:27In fact, Russia and China are collaborating across the globe, from space all the way down

00:32:31to Russia's unjust war in Ukraine.

00:32:33China also continues to conduct military drills around Taiwan and a furtherance of Xi's goal

00:32:40to forcefully invade that country.

00:32:43And China keeps escalating its aggressive behavior in the South China Sea, more recently

00:32:47threatening the Philippine government over its alliances with the United States.

00:32:52With Russia's support, North Korea continues to expand its nuclear program.

00:32:55Iran-backed Houthis continue to attack commercial ships in the Red Sea and our ships that protect

00:33:01Israel from Iranian missiles.

00:33:03Terrorist threats from ISIS and al-Qaeda are taking hold in Africa and elsewhere, and very

00:33:07recently Americans saw what happens when a software patch goes bad.

00:33:12Five flights were grounded, computers didn't work, and I can assure you that Chinese, Russians,

00:33:16and Iranian cyber forces are capable of much worse against our critical military and civilian

00:33:21infrastructure.

00:33:22Look, I could go on and on, but the bottom line is this.

00:33:26There is no single budget line item that solves these problems.

00:33:29It's a combination of efforts that sets men and women who wear our nation's uniform up

00:33:32for success.

00:33:34This bill recommends $852.2 billion for the Department of Defense and FY25, an increase

00:33:40of $27.2 billion over last year.

00:33:42That includes $20.8 billion in emergency spending that Senator Collins and I believe are critical

00:33:48to ensuring the Defense Department can meet its mission.

00:33:52This bill provides funding for recruiting and training of our military officers so our

00:33:56troops can do their jobs.

00:33:57It gives them a hard-earned pay raise and it takes care of their families.

00:34:01The bill invests in the modernization of our nuclear triad and outdated weapon systems,

00:34:05and it helps the DoD innovate with modern technology.

00:34:08This bill puts our defense industrial base on a stronger footing by modernizing and expanding

00:34:15production facilities for critical weapons.

00:34:18It strengthens our deterrence against China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.

00:34:22Simply put, if we fail to act, war is inevitable.

00:34:27This bill provides stability and predictability to the Department of Defense, our workforce,

00:34:32and those who would harm us.

00:34:34I want to thank Senator Collins.

00:34:36She has been great to work with.

00:34:37Her staff has even been better to work with in crafting this bipartisan bill.

00:34:43That's not a knock, that's a plus.

00:34:46And I would urge everybody's support.

00:34:50This is a difficult time in this world.

00:34:53Kennedy's right.

00:34:55We need to start looking at defense from a deterrence standpoint, and if we don't have

00:34:59the deterrence, we got big problems.

00:35:01Finally, I want to recognize the Defense Subcommittee staff who has worked tirelessly to put this

00:35:06bill together.

00:35:07Gabriela Armanda, Mike Clemente, Laura Forrest, Abby Grace, Katie Hagan, Bridget Colish, Rob

00:35:16Leonard, Ryan Pettit, and Kate Coffer.

00:35:20They are the hardest working staff on the Hill, in my opinion, but I want to say a few

00:35:24words about Kate that goes off script a bit.

00:35:28Kate is going to retire at the end of the year.

00:35:30Kate has literally been my right-hand man on this committee, making sure that we're

00:35:35doing things and doing things right to meet the needs of the military and meet the national

00:35:39defense issues in this country.

00:35:41She's not only great at policy, but she can drink beer with the best of them.

00:35:47And I would just say to Kate, we wish you the best, and we're going to miss you.

00:35:51Thank you, Madam Chair.

00:36:05Thank you, Senator Testrom.

00:36:13Before I turn it over to Senator Collins, I want to join in recognizing Kate Coffer's

00:36:18many years of service.

00:36:20From day one of me taking over the committee, Kate has really been critical to the success

00:36:25of not only the Defense Subcommittee, but really to this whole committee, and to me

00:36:29as well.

00:36:30And I'm really deeply thankful for your counsel, your dedication, your service, all of which

00:36:36have really been crucial in keeping our country safe through all of your years of service.

00:36:41Kate, no, you will be missed.

00:36:44And we know we all wish you well in your next steps, but I want to thank you for all your

00:36:49years of service to this committee and to our country.

00:36:52So thank you as well.

00:36:54Thank you.

00:37:04Senator Collins.

00:37:06Thank you, Madam Chair.

00:37:07At the risk of piling on, I too want to thank Kate for her extraordinary work.

00:37:15The only thing I will not miss is her ability to talk my staff into supporting certain policies.

00:37:28I was glad that Senator Tester alerted me to that issue this morning.

00:37:36First of all, let me thank Chairman Tester for your partnership in developing the Defense

00:37:42Appropriations Bill.

00:37:44I also want to extend my gratitude to Chair Murray for working with me to ensure that

00:37:50this bill provides our military with the resources it requires.

00:37:55This additional funding is sorely needed to meet global threats that combatant commanders

00:38:01describe as the most dangerous in 50 years.

00:38:06The Commission on National Defense Strategy, chaired by former Representative Jane Harman,

00:38:13stated that the threats to the United States are the most serious since World War II.

00:38:20Overall, this bill provides $851.7 billion for the Department of Defense and for our

00:38:28intelligence community.

00:38:31That is 3.3% compared to last year's fiscal 2024 levels.

00:38:37It strengthens our military across all domains in the air, on land, at sea, in space, and

00:38:44in cyberspace.

00:38:46By contrast, the administration's budget would have led to the smallest Air Force in history,

00:38:54and our naval fleet of 296 ships would have shrunk by five ships over the next five years

00:39:01while China's Navy continues to grow to 435 ships.

00:39:08Our bill includes $37 billion for Navy shipbuilding, the largest shipbuilding budget ever.

00:39:15It begins to reverse the dangerous decline in the number of Navy ships, although much

00:39:21more remains to be done to respond to the surge in the size of the Chinese Navy.

00:39:29Specifically, the bill would provide funding for seven new battle force ships, including

00:39:33three DDG-51 destroyers.

00:39:37These destroyers, including those built at Batharm Works, the USS Kearney, and the USS

00:39:43Arleigh Burke, have proven invaluable in defending commercial and U.S. vessels in the Red Sea,

00:39:51as well as in the defense of Israel.

00:39:54The bill provides funding for a second ship set of Virginia-class submarine material to

00:40:01provide certainty for suppliers and to avoid supply chain disruptions, and it supports

00:40:09the Navy's plan for a four-ship procurement of amphibious ships, which will save taxpayers

00:40:16more than $900 million than if they were bought individually by buying material in bulk and

00:40:24streamlining construction.

00:40:26For the Air Force, the bill provides additional funding to make nearly 500 more aircraft available

00:40:34than the President's budget request would allow.

00:40:37This is because the Air Force had an unfunded requirement that we are taking care of that

00:40:45will be used to purchase aircraft spare parts.

00:40:50And just to emphasize how important this is, it prevents the grounding of an estimated

00:40:57221 airplanes because of the lack of spare parts.

00:41:04The bill also fulfills the Army's number one unfunded priority for 1,200 counter-drone

00:41:11systems and radars.

00:41:13Iran and its proxies, as well as Russia in its attacks in Ukraine, have demonstrated

00:41:21that warfare has changed.

00:41:23Our strategy must reflect that reality.

00:41:28In total, the bill provides approximately $1 billion for counter-drone capabilities

00:41:33to address this growing and evolving threat.

00:41:36To deter and counter China's growing military capability, the bill more than doubles the

00:41:43funding proposed in the budget request for offensive space control capabilities.

00:41:48It also increases funding for missile defense in Guam, a joint fires network to enhance

00:41:55targeting capabilities in the region, and five other otherwise unfunded requirements

00:42:02at the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

00:42:06I do want to emphasize that the bill does not just focus on aircraft, ships, weapons,

00:42:12and equipment, critical though those are.

00:42:16It also gives our brave, highly skilled service members the pay and benefits they deserve.

00:42:22It funds a 4.5 percent pay raise for most of our service men and women, and a 5.5 percent

00:42:30pay raise for the most junior enlisted service members.

00:42:36We need also to recognize the need to accelerate modernization of Marine Corps barracks that

00:42:44are in poor condition by providing $1 billion for that purpose.

00:42:50That is $349 million more than the budget request.

00:42:55Another $135 million is included for a new special payment for soldiers on operational

00:43:02orders and deployed away from their permanent duty station.

00:43:07This payment is similar to the Navy's CPAY incentive that recognizes the greater-than-normal

00:43:16rigors during long operational deployments.

00:43:20At home, this bill includes $4.9 billion, more than double the request, to help strengthen

00:43:27the U.S. defense industrial base.

00:43:30The funding will expand solid rocket motor production, increase raw material purchases

00:43:37needed for critical weapons systems, and modernize ammunition plants as well as our public shipyards.

00:43:45The bill includes $5.9 billion to maximize the production of eight critical munitions

00:43:51in demand worldwide, such as the Patriot air defense missiles and the Tomahawk cruise missiles.

00:43:58Collectively, these investments continue the transition from just-in-time to a just-in-case

00:44:06approach to weapons manufacturing.

00:44:09For the National Guard, the bill includes $1 billion that was excluded from the administration

00:44:15budget to address capability gaps and equipment shortfalls.

00:44:20It also includes funding to add seven new countries within the state partnership program.

00:44:27That has been such a terrific success.

00:44:30Finally, this bill includes assistance for our Baltic allies on NATO's eastern flank

00:44:38with Russia, funding to provide new weapons for Taiwan to defend itself, and continued

00:44:44support for the U.S.-Israeli cooperative missile defense capabilities.

00:44:51These missile defense capabilities are playing an indispensable role in thwarting Iran's

00:44:57unprecedented drone and missile attacks against Israel.

00:45:03As the vice chairman of the Commission on National Defense Strategy noted, we can't

00:45:10confront the biggest threat since the height of the Cold War with the smallest military

00:45:17in a generation, historically low defense spending, and an atrophied industrial base.

00:45:26Those are words we need to pay attention to, and this bill does.

00:45:31Let me close by acknowledging that the bill before us reflects input from each and every

00:45:38member of this committee, as well as countless of our colleagues who do not have the honor

00:45:45of serving on this committee.

00:45:47So I want to thank each of our colleagues for their contributions, and let me thank

00:45:53our staff who have worked so hard on this bill.

00:45:56I do want to mention the staff on the minority side as well.

00:46:01Ryan Caldell, Todd Phillips, Jason Potter, Jesse Tolinson, Mike Wakefield, of course,

00:46:10the indispensable, soon-to-make-herself dispensable, Kate Covert, Mike Clemente, Laura Forrest,

00:46:21Abby Grace, Katie Hagan, Bridget Colish, Rob Leonard, Ryan Pettit, Kim Sigura, and Gabriela Amanda.

00:46:33I did not know that the Democratic side had doubled the staff of our side, but fortunately

00:46:42they work together in a very nonpartisan, bipartisan way, and that's how we get things

00:46:47done on this committee.

00:46:49Thank you.

00:46:50Thank you, Senator Collins.

00:46:51Senator Testers, do you have a minute?

00:46:54Yeah, Senator Collins, it's doubled because they have to compensate for the chair.

00:46:59I have a motion to make, Madam Chair.

00:47:01Senator Collins and I have prepared a bipartisan manager's package, and I would move for its

00:47:06immediate adoption.

00:47:08Is there an objection?

00:47:10Without objection, the manager's package is agreed to.

00:47:13Are there any members wishing to speak or offer an amendment?

00:47:17Well, you guys did such a good job that we will – seeing no comments or amendments,

00:47:28this bill will be reported as amended.

00:47:31Thank you.

00:47:32Madam Chair?

00:47:33Yes.

00:47:34I had intended to vote no on the Labor H and Education Bill.

00:47:40I apologize.

00:47:41I was focused on receiving input.

00:47:44We had 100-mile-an-hour winds in Omaha and Lincoln last night, and so I would ask consent

00:47:50that I be recorded as no.

00:47:55Thank you.

00:47:56And on that vote, there are then 25 ayes, 3 nays, and the bill is agreed to.

00:48:02Thank you.

00:48:03We will now turn to consideration of the FY25 Appropriations Bill recommended by the Subcommittee

00:48:08on Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.

00:48:12I really want to thank Senators Baldwin and Senator Capito and their staff for the bipartisan

00:48:16effort on this bill.

00:48:18I care deeply about this bill because there are so many investments in it that are not

00:48:23only important but personal to families across the country.

00:48:27There's investments to fight the opioid epidemic and help people struggling with substance

00:48:32use disorder.

00:48:33There's investments to help families keep the heat on in the winter and air on in the

00:48:38summer.

00:48:39Investments in biomedical research so we can find life-saving treatments and cures.

00:48:44Investments in public health, community health centers, and family planning programs that

00:48:48get people affordable essential care.

00:48:52Investments in our public schools.

00:48:54Investments in higher education and workforce training.

00:48:57Investments to protect workers' rights, and, of course, the investments in child care and

00:49:00Head Start.

00:49:01The child care crisis is holding so many parents back, which is why I'm especially pleased

00:49:07we increased early childhood development programs by over $2 billion, including $700 million

00:49:14in new funding for Head Start.

00:49:16Investing in families is investing in our economy, and I'm glad we were able to put

00:49:21together a bill that shows we understand how important these issues are to everyone that

00:49:25we represent back at home.

00:49:27With that, let me turn it over to Senator Baldwin.

00:49:30Thank you.

00:49:32Thank you, Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins, for your leadership in ushering bipartisan

00:49:37appropriations bills through the committee again this year.

00:49:41And I also want to thank Senator Capito for your approach and collaboration in developing

00:49:48this bill before us.

00:49:50The labor HHS bill includes a modest increase over last year that allows us to address bipartisan

00:49:57priorities and pressing needs facing families and communities across our country.

00:50:03Our bill addresses kitchen table issues I hear about every day from Wisconsinites.

00:50:08It increases investments in child care for working families, research to discover life-saving

00:50:15cures for deadly diseases, prevention and treatment efforts to curb the fentanyl and

00:50:21substance use epidemic, mental health care, helping people get the skills and tools that

00:50:27they need to land family-supporting jobs, and support for students and educators, among

00:50:35others.

00:50:37These are bipartisan priorities that this committee has consistently supported.

00:50:42These investments help address the issues that all of our constituents are grappling

00:50:48with.

00:50:49Everywhere I travel in my state, I hear constant concerns about the high cost of and lack of

00:50:56access to child care.

00:50:59We can and must do more for families, businesses, and child care providers.

00:51:04Our bill includes a combined $2.3 billion increase for early learning programs, including

00:51:11a $1.6 billion increase for the Child Care and Development Block Grant and a $700 million

00:51:19increase for Head Start.

00:51:21When parents cannot find quality, affordable child care, it hurts families, businesses,

00:51:28and our economy.

00:51:30It deprives kids of consistent early learning opportunities.

00:51:35It means parents have to miss work or drop out of the labor force altogether.

00:51:40It means businesses can't find the skilled workforce they need.

00:51:45More needs to be done to fix our broken child care system, but this bill will help states

00:51:50ensure more working families have access to quality child care, including by supporting

00:51:56providers operating on razor-thin margins, particularly those in rural and underserved

00:52:03areas.

00:52:05Our bill also includes an increase of more than $2 billion for NIH to support life-saving

00:52:11research.

00:52:12Every American is affected by disease in their lifetimes, either themselves, personally,

00:52:19or a loved one.

00:52:21This bipartisan bill bolsters research to deliver the treatments and cures to help them.

00:52:27It includes $958 million to fully restore funding for the Cancer Moonshot, the BRAIN

00:52:34Initiative, and All of Us research programs.

00:52:39This will support research with the goal of cutting the cancer death rate by at least

00:52:4450 percent over the next 25 years, accelerating our understanding of the human brain and the

00:52:51development of neurotechnologies to help treat diseases of the brain, and advancing precision

00:52:58medicine.

00:53:00It includes a $275 million increase for mental health research, a $275 million increase for

00:53:08Alzheimer's disease research, a $266 million increase for cancer research, and a $130 million

00:53:17increase for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and a $76 million

00:53:25increase for the Office of Research on Women's Health, a $20 million increase for research

00:53:31on maternal mortality, and a $10 million increase for opioid research.

00:53:38While our country continues to grapple with deadly poisonings and overdoses from fentanyl,

00:53:44we boosted our investment in programs that are helping our communities save lives.

00:53:51The bill includes a $215 million increase for substance use and mental health service

00:53:57programs that provide critical support for those struggling with substance use disorders

00:54:03and mental health challenges.

00:54:05In the first two years of operation, the 988 Suicide Prevention Lifeline has answered 10

00:54:13million calls, chats, and texts.

00:54:16As the co-author of the bill to establish 988, that is both encouraging as well as a

00:54:23distressing sign of the number of individuals, especially youth, seeking crisis care.

00:54:30The bill includes an increase of $20 million for 988 to ensure someone is on the other

00:54:36end of that call, and additional funding to increase our behavioral health workforce and

00:54:42expand access to mental health care, including a $10 million increase for the mental health

00:54:48crisis response grants.

00:54:51I'm also proud that our bill invests in our students and workers.

00:54:55With an ever-changing economy, getting the skills and tools to meet the job market looks

00:55:00different as well.

00:55:02Our bill includes targeted increases to career and technical education and apprenticeships

00:55:09that provide pathways to good-paying jobs and careers.

00:55:13Our legislation also invests in foundational elementary and secondary education programs,

00:55:20such as the Title I-A and I-D-E-A formula grants, and boosts the Maximum Pell Grant

00:55:27Award to help support students in post-secondary education.

00:55:33Given the breadth of issues important to both Democrats and Republicans that are covered

00:55:38in this bill, I could really go on and on.

00:55:41It strengthens our pandemic preparedness and biodefense programs, including helping ensure

00:55:48critical elements in our public health supply chain are made in America.

00:55:53It allows for more frequent nursing home inspections and will mean that Social Security can provide

00:55:59better service for the tens of millions of Americans that rely on it and have earned

00:56:05their benefits.

00:56:07I am proud of the investments that we are able to make in this bill.

00:56:12These investments will make the lives of our constituents better, so that they can

00:56:16live healthy, fulfilling lives.

00:56:19But to be clear, I'm disappointed that we weren't able to do more.

00:56:24Women's health and reproductive rights are under attack in this country.

00:56:28Women are being denied the right to control their bodies, families, and future while putting

00:56:34their health and well-being at risk.

00:56:37This will not be fixed in an appropriations bill, but we should do more, including increasing

00:56:43funding for family planning and other critical programs.

00:56:47This bill is very much a compromise that was developed in a fully bipartisan manner.

00:56:53It is in stark contrast to the House Labor HHS bill.

00:56:59The partisan approach of the House leads to constant threats of government shutdown that

00:57:04do nothing but waste time and resources.

00:57:08That's a disservice to Wisconsinites and communities across the country that rely on services funded

00:57:15in this bill.

00:57:17This is a bill that can and should be passed by the Senate, passed by the House, and signed

00:57:26by the President.

00:57:27Finally, I want to thank the staff who helped put this bill together.

00:57:33Even before pencils went down on fiscal year 2024 appropriations in March, these staff

00:57:39members were already hard at work on this bill.

00:57:43That includes my staff on the majority, Amanda Beaumont, Erin Dugan, Janie Delaney, Mike

00:57:50Gentile, Mark Leisch, Claire Montero, Megan Mott, Catherine Tumajan, and Senator Capito's

00:58:00staff on the minority, Ashley Palmer, Tom Pfeiffer, Lindsay Seidman, and Emily Slack.

00:58:07I also want to thank all of the other staff on the committee and at GPO and CBO who really

00:58:15worked around the clock to get us to this point.

00:58:19This is a good bill, and I'm proud to have my colleagues' support for it.

00:58:26Senator Capito.

00:58:27Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, Vice Chair Collins.

00:58:31I know you all both have a great passion for the bill that we are under consideration.

00:58:36As we near the end of our subcommittee markups, I would like to thank the leaders of this

00:58:40committee and all of my fellow committee members.

00:58:43Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins have once again delivered on their promised commitment

00:58:47to regular order, and I hope that continues on the floor, and we have heard that echoed

00:58:51by several other members today.

00:58:55The Labor HHS Appropriations Bill is one of the most difficult appropriations bills to

00:58:59negotiate and is the largest non-defense discretionary bill.

00:59:04This is the second year that Senator Baldwin and I have been at the helm of the Labor HHS

00:59:09subcommittee, and I'm pleased to say that once again, we present a bipartisan bill to

00:59:14the full committee.

00:59:15I want to thank her for her hands-on, dedicated passion that she brings to the table as the

00:59:21chair.

00:59:22The bill continues our bipartisan record from last year and maintains all longstanding riders

00:59:27and does not include any new controversial riders.

00:59:31The bill includes a number of bipartisan member priorities, such as, and the chair enumerated

00:59:37many of these, and I'm going to go through a few that are important to me, such as greater

00:59:40investments in America's biomedical research, child care, mental health, workforce, strengthening

00:59:46biodefense, and continuing efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.

00:59:51Our bill provides an increase of $2 billion for the National Institutes of Health to still

00:59:57prioritize basic research in the United States.

01:00:00The bill does not provide funding for the Wuhan Institute of Virology or Echo Health.

01:00:07The NIH investment restores CURES funding for the Cancer Moonshot, Brain Initiative,

01:00:12and All of Us Research Program.

01:00:14We have also provided targeted increases for research in such areas as Alzheimer's, mental

01:00:19health, women's health, maternal health, and cancer, including a $20 million increase

01:00:25for the Childhood Cancer Star Act.

01:00:28As we provide a $25 million increase, we also provide a $25 million increase to the NIH

01:00:35IDEA program that provides funding to 23 of our states that historically had lower levels

01:00:41of NIH funding, including our state of West Virginia.

01:00:45This program has been so important for research at West Virginia institutions like WVU and

01:00:51Marshall Universities.

01:00:53Today's bill also builds on our efforts to fight the continued problem of substance abuse,

01:00:58particularly fentanyl, which remains a serious problem in the country and particularly in

01:01:03our state of West Virginia.

01:01:04The bill provides $4.6 billion for addiction treatment, prevention, research, and recovery

01:01:09programs.

01:01:10It continues a multipronged approach, including efforts to slow the addiction epidemic, $1.6

01:01:18billion for the state opioid research response grants to address the opioid epidemic ways

01:01:24and ways that suit individual state needs, $2 billion for the Substance Use Prevention

01:01:29and Treatment Block Grant, and $660 million for the NIH Helping to End Addiction Long-Term

01:01:36or NIH HEAL initiative.

01:01:39This bill also provides significant resources in our health workforce.

01:01:43I am sure everyone at this table and everybody in this room, anytime you visit a health facility,

01:01:49workforce challenges are rampant across the country in the health field.

01:01:54It helps to increase the number of counselors, social workers, peer support specialists,

01:01:58and clinical professionals to respond to the addiction crisis, which will help our providers.

01:02:04Health workforce training investments are also included to educate and retain nurses

01:02:09and to grow the number of geriatric providers to care for our aging population.

01:02:15That would be Senator Kennedy.

01:02:17Couldn't resist, couldn't resist.

01:02:21The labor HH bill, again, prioritizes our children, starting with early childhood education

01:02:27all the way to college to make sure our students are prepared for the jobs today but also in

01:02:31the future.

01:02:32Specifically, a $1.6 billion increase to the Child Care and Development Block Grant that

01:02:37many of us had asked for, a $700 million increase to Head Start to support our early childhood

01:02:43education, $280 million increase for Title I to support students in low-income schools,

01:02:49$300 million increase for IDEA grants to states, which provides special education services

01:02:55for students with disabilities, and the $100 increase to the Maximum Pell Award for a total

01:03:00of $7,495 for the 2025-2026 school year.

01:03:07I've just described several bipartisan programs we have included to improve the lives of Americans

01:03:13and I encourage my colleagues to support this labor HHS bill.

01:03:17I am going to thank our staff again, Senator Baldwin did a good job, but I would like to

01:03:21start with her staff, Mike Gentile, Mark Leisch, Megan Mott, Catherine Tumujin, Aaron Dugan,

01:03:28Amanda Beaumont, Claire Montero, and Janie Dulaney.

01:03:33On my labor HHS staff, we were texting at 4 o'clock in the morning this morning, Lindsey

01:03:40Seidman, Ashley Palmer, and Emily Slack.

01:03:43In my personal office, my Chief, JT Jizerski, James Mann, Thompson Moore, Dana Richter,

01:03:49and Mimi Vance, and the full committee staff that helps all of our subcommittees, Clint

01:03:54Trocchio, and Ben Hammond, and the wonderful GPO team.

01:03:58Thank you again to the Chair and to the Vice Chair.

01:04:02Thank you.

01:04:03Senator Baldwin, I understand you have a manager's package.

01:04:06Thank you, Chair Murray.

01:04:07I do have a manager's amendment that I would like to offer.

01:04:10It has been circulated.

01:04:12It has been negotiated with Senator Capito and has been cleared on both sides and I ask

01:04:18that it be adopted by unanimous consent.

01:04:22Are there any members wishing to speak to the manager's package?

01:04:27If not, the manager's package is agreed to.

01:04:30Are there any members wishing to speak to this bill or offer an amendment?

01:04:34Senator Shaheen.

01:04:35I'd just like to speak briefly to thank both the Chair and Ranking Member for their efforts

01:04:41to support states still dealing with the opioid epidemic.

01:04:46I know that both of you understand very directly the challenges that states are facing and

01:04:53I especially appreciate being able to use those grant dollars to cover cocaine and meth

01:04:59use, which we're seeing ever more of in New Hampshire.

01:05:03So, thank you both very much.

01:05:05Are there any other Senators wishing to speak or to offer an amendment?

01:05:09Madam Chair.

01:05:10Senator Bozeman.

01:05:11I would like to thank you and Vice Chair Collins and Senator Capito and Baldwin and their staffs

01:05:18for working with me and our co-sponsor, Senator Tester, to include report language ensuring

01:05:27volunteer fire departments are protected.

01:05:30Across Arkansas, volunteer fire departments are the backbone of our rural communities.

01:05:35Of the 1,003 fire departments in the natural state, 974 are either fully or partially staffed

01:05:43by volunteer firefighters and their support personnel.

01:05:47That would be true of most of our states with the people represented here.

01:05:51In fact, nationally, over 65% of firefighters are volunteers.

01:05:56A proposed OSHA rule could negatively impact these services in Arkansas and across the

01:06:01country.

01:06:02While we must ensure firefighters have the tools and resources to keep themselves and

01:06:07their communities safe, I'm concerned OSHA's recently proposed rule, the Emergency Response

01:06:14Standard, will impose drastic hardships on local volunteer fire departments and ultimately

01:06:20lead to cuts in services or even closures.

01:06:23To be clear, I support OSHA's goal to enhance the safety of our emergency response personnel

01:06:28and understand updates to the standards are necessary.

01:06:32However, I do not support a one-size-fits-all approach that could result in unintended consequences

01:06:38that threaten the safety of rural communities nationwide.

01:06:43I've been hearing concerns from volunteer firefighters in Arkansas that these sweeping

01:06:47regulations will force active fire trucks out of commission, require costly new equipment,

01:06:53produce an administrative compliance burden that will restrict resources, and ultimately

01:06:58decimate volunteer fire departments and the corresponding safety measures they offer our

01:07:03local communities.

01:07:05OSHA estimates implementation of the proposed rule will cost the average volunteer fire

01:07:11department approximately $14,000.

01:07:13However, the National Volunteer Fire Council anticipates the cost will be significantly

01:07:19higher due to the breadth of the requirements at state.

01:07:22Keep in mind, volunteer fire departments typically run on tight budgets of $50,000 to $75,000

01:07:29a year while tasked with keeping their entire communities out of harm's way.

01:07:34So I'm very thankful for the included language that will encourage constructive conversations

01:07:41between stakeholders and the administration to prioritize protecting safety of our personnel

01:07:47without jeopardizing or sacrificing rural communities' access to local emergency services

01:07:54provided.

01:07:55Thank you, Madam Chair.

01:07:59Madam Chair.

01:08:00Senator Britt.

01:08:01I just want to thank the Chair and Ranking Member for your attention to the NIH Improve

01:08:07Initiative.

01:08:08I really appreciate it.

01:08:09It's something I've been working alongside Senator LaFonza Butler to bring more attention

01:08:13to both for research and funding.

01:08:16Alabama has the highest maternal mortality in the nation.

01:08:18It disproportionately affects black women.

01:08:21In 2024, we should be able to get answers to this, and I appreciate your commitment

01:08:25to doing that.

01:08:26Thank you.

01:08:27Senator Merkley.

01:08:28Let me just take a moment to note that in FSGG, one of the issues that I'm very concerned

01:08:38about is that Postmaster General DeJoy has been downgrading the mail transfer centers.

01:08:47And in my home state, this means that in both Eugene and Medford, Central Oregon, that is

01:08:52the middle Willamette Valley, and Southern Oregon, all the mail now has to go to Portland,

01:08:58Oregon to be redistributed.

01:09:00We are seeing significant delays in mail, and I think this is in many states around

01:09:04the country.

01:09:05So, I know the Maine Vice Chair has seen this as well.

01:09:12This is really devastating.

01:09:14The idea that you send mail to somebody in your own town, and it has to go 300 miles

01:09:19to the north to Portland, and then 300 miles back, DeJoy says this results in no delay.

01:09:24You cannot truck something 500 to 600 miles and not have a delay.

01:09:28This is following the downgrade in Bend in Central Oregon on the other side of the Cascade

01:09:33Mountains, so that that has to go across the mountains and go back.

01:09:40This plan delivering for America, it's really about delivering mail slowly for America,

01:09:48and it means a continuous disincentive to use the mail service, which degrades the source

01:09:53of revenues, further complicating the success of the department.

01:10:00I know folks in my state, DeJoy said nobody's complaining, so I put out a question, how

01:10:04is it going?

01:10:05I received hundreds of letters saying it's going extremely poorly.

01:10:09People relating to their received medications, their ability to ship goods from small businesses,

01:10:15particularly in rural America.

01:10:17I am extremely disturbed about what's happening in the Postal Service.

01:10:22I suspect many members here are seeing similar things in the rural parts of their state,

01:10:27and I hope we can find a way to create a lot more pressure to save the postal system from

01:10:33DeJoy.

01:10:34There is no joy in DeJoyville at this moment.

01:10:39Madam Chair.

01:10:44I just want to associate myself with the comments made by Senator Merkley.

01:10:51This is a terrible plan that the Postmaster General has come up with that would cause

01:10:58huge delays in the delivery of mail by consolidating the processing centers.

01:11:06In a state like mine, which is such a large rural state, it would result in mail having

01:11:14to go 10 hours to be sorted and then go back to the community that's 10 miles away.

01:11:24It is a huge problem.

01:11:27We've had a hearing on the proposal in Maine.

01:11:31One reason I hope that we do get to the FSGG bill is there is report language on this issue.

01:11:39In Maine, the Postmaster General has put a temporary pause on the consolidation plan,

01:11:48but it simply makes no sense.

01:11:50Ironically, the result is going to be that the Postal Service will lose customers.

01:11:59That's the last thing that we want to see happen.

01:12:03I've also noted right in my own neighborhood, but I hear reports from across the state,

01:12:09that we're no longer receiving daily mail delivery.

01:12:14That is a real problem for seniors who receive medication via the mail and veterans as well.

01:12:22I do hope that we can get to the FSGG bill because there is report language on this very

01:12:29important subject that so matters to our constituents.

01:12:34Thank you for bringing it up.

01:12:35Senator Sheehan.

01:12:36Madam Chair, if it's in order to continue to talk about this issue, I would like to

01:12:42add my support for the remarks of both Senators Merkley and Collins.

01:12:48We are extremely concerned in New Hampshire about what the Postal Service is doing.

01:12:53They intend to reduce mail processing locally in New Hampshire by cutting it out entirely

01:12:59from our state, sending it to Massachusetts, and then back to New Hampshire.

01:13:04It's totally unacceptable.

01:13:06The Postmaster General informed Congress, when there was a public outcry about this

01:13:11earlier, that he was going to suspend all of these changes until January 1st of 2025.

01:13:19What we are hearing in New Hampshire from local stakeholders is that the Postal Service

01:13:24has gone ahead with these proposals.

01:13:27They're already moving equipment out of New Hampshire.

01:13:30I think this is totally unacceptable.

01:13:33I agree.

01:13:34We know there's report language in FSGG.

01:13:38Let me just raise my concern about CBO's analysis of report language because we put in language

01:13:50that would prevent the Postal Service from moving forward with those changes, just as

01:13:55the Postmaster said months ago.

01:13:58The CBO has said that that scored as costing money, even though it was report language.

01:14:05I don't understand how CBO figures that, but I think that they need to think carefully

01:14:12about how directing the Postal Service to comply with what it told Congress it was doing

01:14:18two months ago could actually cost money.

01:14:22I don't know what this committee can do about it, but boy, I think we ought to raise our

01:14:26concerns with not just the Postal Service, but CBO, about what's going on here.

01:14:32Thank you.

01:14:33Senator Moran?

01:14:34Chairwoman, thank you.

01:14:35I want to express my gratitude to Senator Bozeman for his leadership on this issue of

01:14:40volunteer fire departments and the consequences of potential OSHA regulations.

01:14:46And I would only highlight for my colleagues, I am circulating a letter to OSHA, a bipartisan

01:14:52letter.

01:14:53And for those of you who care about the Eastern Kansas, the bulk of our firefighters are volunteers.

01:15:02This is a huge complication for the ability of small towns to provide basic services.

01:15:08I'd welcome you to join in that letter to OSHA outlining those concerns.

01:15:13Thank you.

01:15:15Are there any other senators who wish to speak on this bill?

01:15:19Just to count me in on the post office effort.

01:15:22About the firefighters.

01:15:27Winning that one, so yes.

01:15:29Are there any other senators who wish to speak on the labor HS bill?

01:15:34I will just amplify Senator Moran's concerns, representing a state that only has one career

01:15:40fire department and all the other fire companies are volunteers.

01:15:46Are there any other senators wishing to speak on this bill?

01:15:52Seeing none, this bill will now be reported as amended.

01:16:22How come McConnell doesn't have to come, but he gets full credit?

01:16:52With the forbearance of all of our committee members, we are trying to work out one last

01:16:55issue if everyone could just stay seated for our members who are not here.

01:17:00We may be voting very shortly.

01:17:02If you can notify your members that we will have to vote to move forward.

01:17:09With that, we are going to turn consideration to the FY appropriations bill recommended

01:17:16by the subcommittee on financial services and general government.

01:17:19We will have to report this bill out.

01:17:21I'm going to have our chairman and ranking member of the subcommittee make their full

01:17:27remarks.

01:17:28Will all staff please notify your senator that as soon as we have everyone here shortly,

01:17:33like within the next several minutes, please, we will move to vote that bill out.

01:17:38But I will begin by having our members make their opening remarks and Senator Van Hollen

01:17:45will turn to you first.

01:17:46Let me just say first that this bill includes critical investments to protect and strengthen

01:17:51our economy and to protect consumers' pocketbooks.

01:17:54That includes increased investments to support small businesses and investments in fraud

01:17:59prevention to help protect consumers' hard-earned dollars, promote competition, and prevent

01:18:05anti-competitive practices that cost families.

01:18:08The bill includes funding for the IRS to make sure we can continue improving customer service

01:18:13and making sure the billionaires and the top 1% pay their fair share.

01:18:18And funding for the FEC and for state election security grants that will help protect our

01:18:23elections which are the cornerstone of our democracy.

01:18:27I'm glad we were able to put together a bipartisan bill to strengthen these incredibly important

01:18:32investments.

01:18:33With that, let me turn it over to Senator Van Hollen.

01:18:37Thank you, Chair Murray, and let me start by thanking you and Vice Chair Collins for

01:18:43all your efforts to bring us together to achieve bipartisan products that can move forward.

01:18:52I also just want to thank Senator Hagerty, the ranking member, for his work and efforts

01:18:59on the subcommittee.

01:19:02We've had hearings, as other committees have, and we've worked together, as have our teams,

01:19:07and I do want to thank the members of our teams as well.

01:19:11The staff who put so many hours, as we know, into this effort.

01:19:16Jen Becker, Diana Hamilton, Maddie Dunn, Maria Calderon, Peyton Thomas, Dan Brandt, Winnie

01:19:24Chang, and from my personal office, Sarah Schenning and Deb Haney.

01:19:29I just want to thank all of them for their efforts.

01:19:32And I'm going to be pretty brief, because I know it's been a lot of bills that we've

01:19:36already considered.

01:19:37So the FISG subcommittee has jurisdiction over a large array of federal agencies, maybe

01:19:43more agencies than any other subcommittee.

01:19:48They span from the Department of Treasury to the Federal Judiciary to Small Business

01:19:52Administration, and the bill today is the bipartisan product of our discussions.

01:19:58Just to give you an idea of some of the essential agencies that we finance here, FinCEN, who's

01:20:05been working on those beneficial ownership implementation provisions, cracking down on

01:20:10bad actors in the international financial system, like Russian oligarchs and other kleptocrats.

01:20:18The Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the Department of Treasury.

01:20:23We need to make sure they have the resources they need to protect Americans' security.

01:20:28The CDFI, the Community Development and Financial Institutions programs.

01:20:34We provided $354 million in those programs that provide important credit and financial

01:20:39services to underserved markets.

01:20:42At the SBA, the Entrepreneurial Development Programs, $330 million for those, as well

01:20:48as the other SBA programs.

01:20:50We also funded, importantly, many of the oversight efforts to continue to make sure that anybody

01:20:56who committed fraud with the pandemic relief programs, that we track them down, as well

01:21:02as any fraud through SBA loans.

01:21:06It's a mix of very important provisions.

01:21:08I just want to also mention some of the legacy riders, one that's become especially important

01:21:16these days, and it relates to ensuring that the Office of National Drug Control Policy,

01:21:23the director of that office, has the authority to withhold funding from the World Anti-Doping

01:21:30Agency.

01:21:31For those of you who've been closely following the Olympics, you know that in the last Summer

01:21:36Olympics there was a big scandal.

01:21:38A number of Chinese swimmers tested positive for doping, but the World Anti-Doping Agency

01:21:46kept this quiet.

01:21:47It did not deal with it in a transparent manner.

01:21:51We want to make sure that the United States, our key person there, our point person, clearly

01:21:57has the authority to withhold American funding until we're satisfied that athletes are competing

01:22:02on a fair playing field, not just American athletes, but athletes from around the world.

01:22:07That's been a provision that we added in the committee a number of years ago.

01:22:10We've kept it.

01:22:11I will point out to my colleagues that there are a number of legacy riders in this particular

01:22:17subcommittee that I strongly oppose.

01:22:20I would like to get rid of them.

01:22:22There are all sorts of restrictions placed on the District of Columbia, for example.

01:22:26I don't think it's Congress's business to get into how they regulate certain areas.

01:22:33That said, in the interest of moving forward, we have not tried to strip those provisions

01:22:39from this bill because they're legacy riders.

01:22:45One amendment that I will offer and withdraw is similar to what I did last year, which

01:22:50relates to the courts.

01:22:52Because I believe that we need an enforceable code of ethics at the Supreme Court.

01:22:57I think recent events have shown why that's so important.

01:23:01I think this should be a nonpartisan issue.

01:23:05Like last year, I will offer but withdraw an amendment that requires the Supreme Court,

01:23:11the highest court in the land, to have an enforceable ethics policy, but because we

01:23:15did not get bipartisan agreement on that wording, I'm not going to insist on a vote.

01:23:21Let me close there and again thank all the members of our subcommittee who participated

01:23:28and all the members of the full committee who have offered amendments in this process

01:23:33that are included, the ones that are included in the manager's amendment.

01:23:37Senator Hagerty.

01:23:38Thank you, Madam Chair and Madam Vice Chair for your leadership.

01:23:45The committee has now reported 11 bipartisan bills favorably to the floor and that's an

01:23:49impressive feat.

01:23:50I want to start with an observation.

01:23:52Currently, our country is on an unsustainable fiscal path.

01:23:56We can't continue to spend more than we collect.

01:24:00While the spending that this committee oversees, discretionary spending, is not the main reason

01:24:04for our fiscal problems, it's often the easiest to blame and ironically, it's the type of

01:24:09spending that will be crowded out by other unavoidable obligations if Congress doesn't

01:24:14get our fiscal house in order.

01:24:16According to the Congressional Budget Office, our debt is growing faster than the economy

01:24:19and our net interest payments on the debt are bigger than our entire defense budget.

01:24:25That means we'll be paying more in interest payments on our debt than our own national

01:24:29security.

01:24:30Soon, the interest payments will exceed all 12 of these bills combined.

01:24:34Growing interest payments will inevitably force either more discretionary spending cuts

01:24:37or more debt, which will only compound the problem.

01:24:41This simply cannot continue forever.

01:24:43We must voluntarily get our fiscal house in order while we can or the markets will force

01:24:48our hand down the road and the outcome, I can assure you, will not be pretty.

01:24:53I'm pleased to join Senator Van Hollen today in presenting the fiscal year 2025 committee

01:24:56recommendation for the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act.

01:25:00I want to thank Senator Van Hollen and his staff, Jen Becker, Diana Hamilton, Maddie

01:25:04Dunn, Maria Calderon, and Peyton Thomas for working in a bipartisan manner with me and

01:25:09my staff, Dan Brant and Winnie Chang, throughout the process.

01:25:13The subcommittee hosted two hearings this year and received requests from 58 senators

01:25:17that we were able to accommodate.

01:25:19The bill before us today is the result of tough bipartisan negotiations and compromises

01:25:23by both sides.

01:25:25It's a constructive step towards successfully negotiating a final bill with the House.

01:25:30While no one got everything they wanted, the bill includes a host of important provisions

01:25:33that improve the efficiency and operations of the federal government, protect U.S. economic

01:25:38competitiveness, and enhance service for our constituencies.

01:25:43I want to highlight some of the most important provisions in the bill.

01:25:45First, the bill increases funding for the judicial branch, including an $11 million

01:25:49increase for the security and protection for Supreme Court justices.

01:25:53Further, the bill freezes the discretionary budget for the IRS for the third consecutive

01:25:57fiscal year.

01:25:58Third, this bill continues for a second consecutive year, hiring freezes at the Securities and

01:26:03Exchange Commission and rejects a $414 million increase requested by the President's budget,

01:26:09while including several key oversight provisions for the SEC's rulemaking process to ensure

01:26:14the public has meaningful input and that proposed rules are based on robust economic analysis.

01:26:21The bill includes critical funding to combat the fentanyl crisis that's killing thousands

01:26:24of Americans every year.

01:26:26This bill also includes critical investments at the Department of Treasury.

01:26:30Finally, while this is an important step, I want to be very clear that I don't support

01:26:34everything that's included here.

01:26:36There's still issues that we need to address, and I look forward to working with Chairman

01:26:39Van Hollen and our counterparts in the House of Representatives to solve these issues during

01:26:43the conference.

01:26:44Generally, I think there's too much emergency-designated spending spread across these bills.

01:26:49Spending designated as an emergency is exempt from the discretionary spending limits.

01:26:53For a spending priority to be truly an emergency, it should be necessary, it should be urgent,

01:26:58it should be unforeseen, and it should be not permanent.

01:27:02Some of the spending in these bills don't meet that criteria.

01:27:05However, my main concern is the $6.6 billion budget gimmick in this bill that proposes

01:27:10to take phantom savings from the Children's Health Insurance Program.

01:27:14To my knowledge, it's the first time that this offset has been included in the FSGG

01:27:17spending bill.

01:27:18It doesn't belong here.

01:27:20The reason I call this a gimmick is because it pretends to cut spending that will never

01:27:23be spent, and then it turns around and spends that on something that's made up, savings

01:27:28on something else.

01:27:29In conference, it's my aim to replace this gimmick with real savings, for example, mandatory

01:27:33funds from the IRS enforcement account that were rescinded last year on a bipartisan basis.

01:27:38Notwithstanding this concern, given the many positive elements of this bill and the importance

01:27:42of moving the bill forward through regular order, through a conference process with the

01:27:45House, I support this bill today, and I thank my colleagues for their support.

01:27:52I want to thank Senator Van Hollen, Senator Hagerty for your work on this.

01:27:57For the information of all the committee members, we will have to report this bill out.

01:28:02We will do so as soon as we have members here, and we have a manager's package that we need

01:28:08to make some changes on.

01:28:09We are currently in the process of having that reprinted.

01:28:12It's going to take a few minutes, so with the indulgence of everyone, we're going to

01:28:16kind of go out of order here.

01:28:18I'm going to allow anyone who wishes to speak on this amendment or offer an amendment, and

01:28:22we will vote as soon as we are able to do that.

01:28:27So if everybody could just pack their patience here for a few minutes, we'll work our way

01:28:31through this.

01:28:32So with that, are there any members who wish to speak to this bill or to speak to an amendment

01:28:38that they will offer as soon as we're able to do that technically?

01:28:40Senator Rubino.

01:28:41Thank you, Madam Chair.

01:28:42Let me discuss my amendment that I want us to take up, and it's the one titled USMCA

01:28:48Rules of Origin Requirements.

01:28:50So under the USMCA, it says that for a vehicle to cross our border duty-free, 65 or 75 percent

01:29:00of that vehicle's value has to result from manufacturing in North America, and 40 or

01:29:0545 percent of the vehicle's value has to be produced by workers earning at least $16 per

01:29:09hour.

01:29:10So that's production for American workers, and it also ensures that the agreement is

01:29:15about production in North America.

01:29:16That's who our trade is with.

01:29:18Unfortunately, that requirement is not included in some of the credits and subsidies that

01:29:23exist for electric car manufacturing.

01:29:26And so what my amendment would do is it would basically say that if we're going to – if

01:29:32the federal government's going to buy one of these vehicles or the purchase is going

01:29:37to be subsidized with taxpayer dollars, it needs to meet this minimum rule of origin

01:29:42requirement in the USMCA, our agreement with Mexico and Canada in particular.

01:29:47And the reason why this is so important is because we know that Chinese automakers are

01:29:51trying to wipe out automakers all over the world, and one of the loopholes they have

01:29:55found is to be able to purchase entities and move their manufacturing capability to Mexico

01:30:02where they can build these cars to their benefit and then use the USMCA loophole to

01:30:08flood our market the way they're trying to flood the European market right now with

01:30:13their electric vehicles.

01:30:15I just don't think we should be paying for it.

01:30:17We shouldn't be subsidizing it.

01:30:18We shouldn't be buying it with government dollars, and we certainly shouldn't be subsidizing

01:30:21with taxpayer dollars.

01:30:22So all this does is it basically closes that loophole by stipulating that any vehicle purchased

01:30:27using funds appropriated by this bill or any vehicle subsidized by the Clean Vehicle

01:30:32Credit or the used Clean Vehicle Credit has to meet these USMCA requirements.

01:30:38It's something that, for example, auto workers have asked of the administration, and I think

01:30:43it should be part of our bill.

01:30:46So I hope we'll have a vote on that as soon as it's appropriate.

01:30:49Senator Rubio, thank you for that, and with your indulgence, all of the committee, thank

01:30:54you for your patience.

01:30:55I'm now going to turn to Senator Collins to move the bill.

01:30:59We will vote on the bill.

01:31:00Senator Van Hollen, you have a manager's package we will approve, and then Senator Rubio, we

01:31:04will return to debate on your amendment.

01:31:06So with that, I will turn to Vice Chair Collins.

01:31:09Madam Chair, I move that the committee report favorably in the original bill making appropriations

01:31:15for financial services and general government for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025,

01:31:23and for other purposes, provided that the bill be subject to amendment and that each

01:31:28bill, that the bill be consistent with its budget allocation, provided further that the

01:31:34chair of the committee or the chair of the subcommittee reporting the original bill be

01:31:38authorized to offer the substance of the original bill as a committee amendment in the nature

01:31:43of a substitute to the House companion measure.

01:31:48Thank you.

01:31:49Without objection, we will now vote on the bill.

01:31:51The clerk will call the roll.

01:31:53Senator Durbin?

01:31:54Aye.

01:31:55Senator Reed?

01:31:56Aye.

01:31:57Senator Tester?

01:31:58Aye.

01:31:59Senator Shaheen?

01:32:00Aye.

01:32:01Senator Merkley?

01:32:02Aye.

01:32:03Senator Coons?

01:32:04Aye.

01:32:05Senator Schatz?

01:32:06Aye.

01:32:07Senator Baldwin?

01:32:08Aye.

01:32:09Senator Murphy?

01:32:10Aye.

01:32:11Senator Manchin?

01:32:12Aye.

01:32:13Senator Van Hollen?

01:32:14Aye.

01:32:15Senator Heinrich?

01:32:16Aye.

01:32:17Senator Peters?

01:32:18Aye.

01:32:19Senator Sinema?

01:32:20Aye.

01:32:22Senator Moran?

01:32:23Aye.

01:32:24Senator Hoeven?

01:32:25Aye.

01:32:26Senator Bozeman?

01:32:27Aye.

01:32:28Senator Capito?

01:32:29Aye.

01:32:30Senator Kennedy?

01:32:31Aye.

01:32:32Senator Hyde-Smith?

01:32:33Aye.

01:32:34Senator Hagerty?

01:32:35Aye.

01:32:36Senator Britt?

01:32:37Aye.

01:32:38Senator Rubio?

01:32:39Aye.

01:32:40Senator Fischer?

01:32:41Aye.

01:32:42Senator Murray?

01:32:43Aye.

01:32:46On this bill, there are 27 ayes, zero nays.

01:32:49The bill is agreed to.

01:32:51Madam Chair, as a courtesy to the leader, Senator McConnell has asked to be recorded

01:32:58as President voting aye on the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill.

01:33:04I ask that the committee grant this request, as it would not set a formal precedent, nor

01:33:09would it change any vote outcome.

01:33:11Without objection, so ordered.

01:33:14Senator Van Hollen, I will turn to you to offer the manager's package that's now before us.

01:33:19Thank you, Madam Chair.

01:33:20So, I'd like to offer the manager's package that was just circulated to all senators.

01:33:25The provisions have been cleared on both sides, and I ask the committee to adopt the manager's

01:33:30package by a voice vote.

01:33:32Is there anyone who wishes to speak to the manager's amendment?

01:33:36Is there an objection?

01:33:38Without objection, it is agreed to.

01:33:42Senator Rubio, you will now officially offer your amendment.

01:33:47So, I'd like to offer my amendment as described a few minutes ago, the USMCA rules of origin requirements.

01:33:54Are there any senators who wish to speak to this amendment?

01:33:57Madam Chair, if I could, and then I'm going to defer to Senator Manchin here.

01:34:02Senator Manchin, together with Senator Tester, has a provision in the manager's amendment

01:34:09that addresses many of the concerns without doing great damage, because as we review this amendment,

01:34:17it would essentially end the tax credit provisions for the EV program.

01:34:24And according to the Commerce Committee analysis, essentially also prohibit the federal government

01:34:31from purchasing most, if not all, EVs that have qualified for these credits.

01:34:37So, look, we all recognize, which is why we put into the Inflation Reduction Act,

01:34:44provisions for domestic content, especially with respect to the critical mineral supply chain for EV batteries.

01:34:52But what this would do is kill the whole program.

01:34:55So, if you're worried about China right now, if you're worried about China,

01:35:01I'm afraid the Rubio amendment will end up helping China, because by killing the US EV industry and the market,

01:35:10it will just open the door even further to China, which all we know is trying to flood the market with those.

01:35:17So, by killing the incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act for electric vehicles,

01:35:24you're going to essentially do a big favor to China.

01:35:28I'm now going to defer, Madam Chair, to Senator Manchin, who's got a lot of work on this.

01:35:33Well, first of all, you all know my concern about how the Treasury has been interpreting

01:35:40and implementing the rules and the law the way we passed at the IRA.

01:35:45This has, I know that Senator Rubio has USMCA, but it has also Section 45W, Title 26, which is the IRA.

01:35:53And the IRA is a good piece of legislation if it follows what we passed.

01:35:57The bottom line is we've had problems with Treasury implementing something they didn't pass.

01:36:02They're not basically following the law that we passed.

01:36:06So, I am very appreciative that this Chairman and this Ranking Member,

01:36:12and both in the Manager's package have accepted mine and Senator Tester's amendment

01:36:17that puts strong language for Treasury to get back on track, do their job, stay with it,

01:36:22and we'll be able to have a reliable supply chain for EVs that basically has manufacturing.

01:36:29In the United States, we're all seeing this happening in all parts of this country right now.

01:36:34And I also thank Senator Rubio for acknowledging and concern we have with Treasury implementation.

01:36:42This puts it back on track, so I will be voting in opposition to this amendment

01:36:51because the Chair and Ranking Member already agreed to our amendment,

01:36:54Senator Tester's and my amendment in the Manager's package that makes clear that we have the concerns

01:36:58and also we have the direction that we have with Treasury to get back on track and do its job.

01:37:05So, with that, I would encourage a no vote on this amendment.

01:37:08The Senator has requested a vote on this amendment.

01:37:10May I just respond briefly before we vote on my amendment?

01:37:13And I'll be as brief as I possibly can.

01:37:17This is a very simple amendment.

01:37:19It just says that if you want to make electric cars in China, I'm sorry, in Mexico,

01:37:26that it has to meet the requirements of USMCA in terms of being tariff-free and entering the country.

01:37:32That's what free trade agreements are.

01:37:34We have a free trade agreement with Canada and with Mexico.

01:37:37And it says that we're not going to spend federal dollars

01:37:39and we're not going to subsidize the purchase of vehicles that don't meet that standard.

01:37:44As far as helping, I don't know how this amendment would help the Chinese.

01:37:47They are the only nation on earth capable of exploiting this loophole.

01:37:52They're the only nation on earth capable of flooding, as they are attempting to do,

01:37:56the Mexican manufacturing sector, not just with the components and the materials necessary to build these cars,

01:38:03but to actually build them themselves.

01:38:05So what we're talking about here is the Chinese are going to set up factories in Mexico, owned by them.

01:38:10They are going to produce these things to their benefit through their heavily subsidized industry,

01:38:15and they're going to push it into the United States,

01:38:17and we're going to pay for it with taxpayer money, tariff-free.

01:38:20It's a very simple amendment, so I don't get it, but we're going to have a vote on it.

01:38:26The senator has requested a vote on this amendment.

01:38:30The clerk will call the roll.

01:38:31Senator Durbin.

01:38:32No.

01:38:33Senator Reid.

01:38:34No.

01:38:35Senator Tester.

01:38:36No by proxy.

01:38:37No by proxy.

01:38:38Senator Shaheen.

01:38:39No.

01:38:40Senator Merkley.

01:38:41No.

01:38:42Senator Coons.

01:38:43No.

01:38:44Senator Schatz.

01:38:45No.

01:38:46Senator Baldwin.

01:38:47No.

01:38:48Senator Murphy.

01:38:49No.

01:38:50Senator Manchin.

01:38:51No.

01:38:52Senator Van Hollen.

01:38:53No.

01:38:54Senator Heinrich.

01:38:55No.

01:38:56Senator Peters.

01:38:57No.

01:38:58Senator Sinema.

01:38:59No.

01:39:00Senator Collins.

01:39:01Aye.

01:39:02Senator McConnell.

01:39:03Aye by proxy.

01:39:04Senator Murkowski.

01:39:05Aye.

01:39:06Senator Graham.

01:39:07Aye by proxy.

01:39:08Senator Bozeman.

01:39:09Aye.

01:39:10Senator Capito.

01:39:11Aye.

01:39:12Senator Kennedy.

01:39:13Aye.

01:39:14Senator Hines-Smith.

01:39:15Aye.

01:39:16Senator Hagerty.

01:39:17Aye.

01:39:18Senator Britt.

01:39:19Aye.

01:39:20Senator Rubio.

01:39:21Aye.

01:39:22Senator Fischer.

01:39:23Aye.

01:39:24Senator Murray.

01:39:25No.

01:39:30On this vote, there are 14 ayes, 15 nays.

01:39:33The amendment is not agreed to.

01:39:35Is there any other member who wishes to speak to this bill or to offer an amendment?

01:39:44Seeing none, this bill will now be reported as amended.

01:39:49Are there any other senators who wish to speak?

01:39:53I want to thank all of our members today for their patience and their persistence and getting

01:39:59us to this point in this markup.

01:40:02We now only have one bill remaining, which we are going to work very hard to get ready

01:40:06to mark up when we come back.

01:40:08I'm pleased to say we already have passed 11 of our 12 bills and have done so with the

01:40:13support of the overwhelming majority of our committee.

01:40:16These bills will send essential resources back to our committees, and they provide a

01:40:21very clear roadmap to fund our government in the coming months as we work to negotiate

01:40:26and pass our final bills with the House.

01:40:29Once again, by coming together in a bipartisan way, the Senate is making its voice heard.

01:40:35With that, the committee is adjourned.

Patty Murray Leads Senate Appropriations Committee Markup Of Pending Legislation

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