NYC Gazette

Rep. Adriano Espaillat (Ny-13), Ranking Member Of The Legislative Branch Subcommittee, Released The Following Remarks On The House Appropriations Committee's Markup Of The Fiscal Year 2024 Legislative Branch Appropriations Bill:

– As Prepared For Delivery – 

Thank you, Chairman Amodei.

Also, thank you to the minority staff, Faye Cobb and Raquel Spencer, along with my Legislative Director, Monica Garay, and the majority subcommittee staff, Michelle Reinshuttle and Jacqueline Ripke, for all they do in their roles on the Committee.

As you noted, the FY24 Legislative Branch bill before us contains $5.3 billion, excluding the $1.4 billion requested by the Senate. This total allocation of $6.7 billion is $252 million below the FY23 levels.

These savings were achieved by non-recurring security projects funded in fiscal year 2023. This bill for the most part, provides very modest increases for several Agencies over the fiscal year 2023 enacted levels. 

However, by rolling back the overall number for Leg Branch below fiscal year 2023 levels, this bill does not reinvest those dollar savings towards the retention and recruitment of staff, additional security enhancements or other infrastructure needs. This bill retains but does not reflect growth.

Considering the recent attack on two Congressional staffers in Virginia, the Sergeant at Arms must take a comprehensive look at the district office security program. I feel strongly that the scope of the program should be expanded so that Members can implement security enhancements at more than just one district office. This bill does include a 6% increase for the Capitol Police which is promising however, we must continue to use this bill and its resources to ensure we are doing all we can to keep Members, staff, and the constituents we serve safe. 

The bill provides an increase of $3.4 million to the House however it keeps flat funding for several accounts including the MRA and Intern accounts.

Plus, the bill does not address the CAO’s full request which may impact critical House technology needs and improvements such as cybersecurity and lifecycle replacements.

Over the past 5 years, the Government Accountability Office has estimated a return of $145 for every dollar appropriated to them. However, instead of providing their full request to help this office modernize, this bill provides a modest increase of 1.9%.

This bill does nothing to continue the progress Congress has made in terms of diversifying the Halls of Congress to represent the nation we serve. In fact, this bill zeroes out funding for the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and limits its authority under the CAO.

I also want to express my profound discontent—that this bill does nothing to provide DACA recipients with work eligibility in our branch of government, especially when many of them are already interns and fellows throughout our branch of government.

This bill turns its back on congressional staff by union busting, taking away staff-led efforts for collective bargaining.

Mr. Chairman, I appreciate working with you this Congress and I am glad we agree on the importance of funding the Legislative Branch, but when considering the House Republicans pledge to cut nondefense programs that families depend on to survive by $142 billion and drafting bills that work to divide this country in so many ways,  I cannot, in good conscience, vote to fund this bill.  

For all these reasons, I cannot support this bill, and I respectfully request that my friends on both sides vote no.

Thank you and I yield back.

Original source can be found here.