Jayapal Statement on Vote Opposing the Consolidated Appropriations Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Representative Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement regarding her vote to oppose the Consolidated Appropriations Act:
“Today, I voted against the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which combines the funding bills for the Department of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development
“As Republicans refuse to address the affordability crisis and state that we don’t have enough money to fund healthcare for Americans, they are handing $838 billion to the Pentagon. That’s $8 billion more than was even requested by the President for a department that has never successfully passed an audit. Even a small portion of these funds could sustain health care subsidies for years, reinstate Medicaid funding for roughly 17 million people, eliminate homelessness, provide universal pre-K, or support proven anti-poverty measures like an expanded Child Tax Credit.
“Thanks to the work of Democratic negotiators, this bill provides critical funding directly to our communities through Community Project Funding and preserves many programs that the Republicans tried to eliminate, including Continuum of Care, the Women’s Bureau, and Title II-A grants. It also expands our air traffic controller workforce by 2,500 personnel and boosts funding for rental assistance programs. However, like previous funding bills this Congress, it still lacks critical guardrails necessary to protect against this Administration’s illegal impoundments – or their refusal to spend money as directed by Congress – and therefore much of this funding may not reach the communities it is intended for.
“Furthermore, it is irresponsible to continue to fund this runaway so-called ‘Department of War’ at a moment when President Trump is seeking out conflict in an egotistical campaign for power and Congressional Republicans refuse to assert their Constitutional power to authorize military force. This year started with Trump kidnapping the leader of Venezuela and since then he has threatened to use military force against Colombia, Mexico, Cuba, and Greenland, which would virtually destroy NATO and unnecessarily risk the safety of our troops.
“I am grateful that Democrat negotiators rejected partisan poison-pill policy riders. However, I was unable to vote for the bill as written.”
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