Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (NC-10) released the following statement on passage of H.R. 1625, the Consolidated Appropriations Act:
"President Trump ran on the commitment to rebuild our military, secure our southern border, and fight the opioid crisis ravaging our communities. With today’s passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act we’ve taken steps to achieve these goals. This bill gives our troops the largest pay increase in a decade while also including funds that will provide our armed forces with the tools and resources they need to improve military readiness. It increases our border security by providing funding for over 100 miles of the President’s wall. Finally, it includes the largest investment to date to help to combat the opioid epidemic that has touched so many American families."
National Defense – After years of neglect, this bill starts rebuilding America’s Armed Forces by making the largest investment in 15 years. It provides $654.6 billion in both base and Global War on Terror/Overseas Contingency Operations funding – the biggest year-to-year increase since the beginning of the War on Terror. It fully funds a 2.4% pay raise for the troops, fulfills the requests made by Secretary Mattis and military leaders, and gives warfighters the resources they need to fight, win, and return home safety.
Securing Our Homeland – The bill includes $47.8 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, an increase of $5.4 billion over the last fiscal year. These dollars will bolster border infrastructure, add more “boots on the ground,” increase detention space, and improve surveillance technology. The legislation includes $1.571 billion for physical barriers and associated technology along the Southwest border. This amount provides for more than 90 miles of “border wall system,” going beyond the Administration’s budget request for a total of 74 miles in fiscal year 2018.
Rebuilding America’s Aging Infrastructure – Improving the nation’s infrastructure is critical to reliability, safety, and economic growth. The legislation includes more than $21 billion for infrastructure projects across the country, including transportation, energy, water, and cyber.
Combatting the Opioid Crisis – This legislation includes nearly $4 billion in resources to combat the opioid crisis that President Trump has declared as a national emergency. It will invest billions in treatment, prevention, and law enforcement efforts to stop the spread of these dangerous drugs and help families and communities get the assistance they need.
School Safety – To help protect children and to promote safe learning environments, the bill provides more than $2.3 billion in new funding to effective mental health, training, and school safety programs at the Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services.
