Dear Friend, 

Last week, House Republicans passed three Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 appropriation bills: the FY25 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, the FY25 Defense Appropriations Act, and the FY25 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act. The FY25 Homeland Security Appropriations Act provides funding to secure our Southern and Northern Borders and helps address the Biden border crisis that has jeopardized the safety and security of every American. If enacted, this bill would secure our southern border by:

• Providing $600 million for construction of the southern border wall,
• Forcing Secretary Mayorkas to adhere to the law and build physical barriers immediately,
• Ensuring wall funding can only be used to build physical barriers by attaching stricter conditions and shorter timelines to put the funds on contract,
• Sustaining funding for 22,000 Border Patrol agents and,
• Providing $300 million for border security technology.

This important bill also provides funding to remove dangerous criminals by:

• Providing $4.1 billion for custody operations, which is more than ever previously appropriated, to fund 50,000 detention beds and,
• Providing $822 million to fund transportation and removal operations for removable aliens.

A full summary of the FY25 Homeland Security Appropriations bill can be found here.

The FY25 Defense Appropriations Act strategically refocuses the Pentagon on its core mission: delivering combat-ready military forces to deter war and ensure national security. It also eliminates funding for divisive social agendas and initiatives that do not align with the Department’s primary purpose. The legislation prioritizes the fight against Communist China by:

• Allocating $200 million for Taiwan's international security cooperation programs and prioritizing defense articles and services to Taiwan.
• Preventing the early retirement of three ships and retaining the U-2 and certain F-15s, rejecting the Biden Administration’s naval and air force divestment plans.
• Increasing investments in 5th and 6th generation aircraft like the F-35 and Next Generation Air Dominance.

The bill also provides for our servicemembers and their families by:

• Funding a 4.5% pay raise for all military personnel.
• Providing $2.5 billion for an additional 15% pay increase for junior enlisted servicemembers.
• Prohibiting the moving of National Guard missions, functions, or personnel to the Space Force in contravention of current law.

A full summary of the FY25 Defense Appropriations Act can be found here.

The FY25 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act prioritizes agencies and programs that protect our national security, safeguard our global economic interests, support our allies and partners, and promote democracy and freedom abroad. The bill strengthens our national security by:

• Prioritizing funding and policies to combat the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into the United States.
• Prohibiting funds that encourage or facilitate irresponsible migration towards the U.S.-Mexico border.
• Prohibiting the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps from being removed from the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) list.
• Prohibiting funds to implement a nuclear agreement with Iran unless ratified by the Senate.
• Prohibiting funds to be used to implement the Arms Trade Treaty.
• Supporting freedom in the Western Hemisphere, including $35 million for democracy programs for Cuba.

This legislation also supports our ally Israel by:

• Including $3.3 billion in Foreign Military Financing for Israel to defend itself against terrorist attacks.
• Prohibiting funding for the International Criminal Court, International Court of Justice, United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA), and the United Nations Commission of Inquiry against Israel.

A full summary of the FY25 State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act can be found here. 

Recently, the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) released our Republican Response to the Council of Economic Advisers’ 2024 Economic Report of the President. The Republican Response examines the Biden administration’s impractical, demand-side economic policies that have exacerbated the nation’s debt crisis and turbocharged inflation to a four-decade high.

JEC Republicans also explore the nation’s rapidly changing demographics which have contributed to unsustainable debt levels that could have devastating consequences to the U.S. economy. Additionally, JEC Republicans estimate that obesity will result in $8.2 trillion-$9.1 trillion in excess medical expenditures over the next decade if left untreated. The Republican Response encourages lawmakers to adopt innovative policies to improve health outcomes and help mitigate the nation’s fiscal challenges.

Below is a brief breakdown of the report. The full report can be found here.

Last Wednesday, the House Committee on Ways and Means held a hearing on strengthening child welfare through reauthorization of Title IV-B. The hearing featured witnesses who spoke to the challenges impacting America’s child welfare system and provided recommendations about ways to improve Title IV-B – a federal program that provides flexible funding to states for a range of community-based, prevention-oriented programs and services to support family reunification and permanency for children in foster care. Title IV-B’s authorization expired in fiscal year 2021 and has remained largely unchanged since 2008.

Reauthorization presents an opportunity to streamline administration, build in efficiencies, and modernize the program to address current challenges and improve the program. 

Click here to watch my remarks. 

H.R. 1691, Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act, provides a distinct pathway for an immediate four years of transitional Medicare coverage of breakthrough medical devices – mirroring the Trump Administration's final rule while requiring the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to make a permanent coverage determination by the end of the coverage period. I am a proud co-sponsor of H.R. 1691.

Click here to watch additional remarks at the markup.