Congressional Republicans Secure Important Spending & Policy Wins In Appropriations

Republicans Secured Significant Spending Cuts In These Appropriations Bills

This Agreement Cuts The EPA’s Budget By Nearly 10%, Cuts The ATF’s Budget By 7%, And Slashes $275 Million From The Biden Administration’s Requests For ‘Environmental Justice’ Funding

“Reduces funding for the Environmental Protection Agency by nearly 10%.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

“Cuts the Administration’s Environmental Justice Budget Request by $275 million.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

“Reduces the ATF’s funding by $122 million, representing a 7% cut.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

The Agreement Cuts Over $3 Billion From Grant Programs In The Departments Of Transportation And Housing And Urban Development, And Cuts Another $2.6 Billion Of Biden Administration Programs That Included Wasteful Green New Deal Spending

“Cut[s] $3.245 billion from the FY23 enacted levels across 19 DOT and HUD grant programs …” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

“Reject[s] the Administration’s request for additional programs and initiatives totaling nearly $2.641 billion, including: … $26 million to electrify DOT’s federal vehicle fleet … $300 million in ‘Green New Deal’ grants to promote environmental justice priorities in public housing … $100 million to resurrect the Build Back Better housing agenda …” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

Also Eliminated Is Any Funding For Biden’s New Deal Retread Civilian Climate Corps That He Tried To Create Without Congressional Authorization

“Zeroing out requested funding for Biden Admin Climate Corps efforts in the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

Republicans Ensured This Appropriations Agreement Boosts National Security

The Agreement Includes Nearly $20 Billion To Continue Modernizing America’s Nuclear Deterrence And $2 Billion For Military Construction Focused On The Pacific

“Uphold[s] the nation’s nuclear deterrence posture, including: $19.108 billion for the continued modernization of the nuclear weapons stockpile and infrastructure; $1.946 billion to support the operational nuclear naval fleet, Columbia-class submarine reactor development, and research and development for current and future generations of nuclear-powered warships; and $2.581 billion to reduce the danger of hostile nations or terrorist groups acquiring nuclear devices, radiological dispersal devices, weapons-usable material, and nuclear expertise.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

“Provides $2 billion above the President’s Budget Request for military construction, focusing investments on the Pacific theater, barracks, and other quality-of-life projects.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

The Agreement Maintains A Longstanding Prohibition Against Democrat Administrations’ Attempts To Close The Detention Facility In Guantanamo Bay And Prohibits Funding For Housing Those Terror Detainees In The U.S.

Maintains “[a] prohibition on the closure of Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the use of military construction funds to build facilities for detainees on U.S. soil.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

The Appropriations Bills Work Towards Reducing Reliance On Foreign Sources Of Critical Minerals, Including Uranium

“Reduces reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals by maintaining strong support for domestic production.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

• “Support[s] domestic uranium enrichment capabilities, including high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) availability, which is essential to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign sources to power current and future commercial nuclear reactors.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

The Appropriations Require Increased Scrutiny Of Chinese And Other Adversaries’ Attempts To Purchase Farmland In The U.S.

“Adding the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review agricultural transactions and also requiring the notification of CFIUS of agricultural land transactions of national security concern, including purchases made by China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

The Appropriations Bills Support Our Veterans

The Agreement Fully Funds Veterans’ Health Programs And Protects Their 2^nd Amendment Rights

“Supports American values and principles by: Fully funding veterans’ health care programs.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

“Protect[s] the 2nd Amendment rights of veterans by preventing the VA from sending information to the FBI about veterans without a judge’s consent.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

• SEN. JOHN KENNEDY (R-LA), Senate Appropriations Committee Member: “Veterans who sacrificed to defend our Constitution shouldn’t see their own rights rest on the judgment of unelected bureaucrats—but right now, they do. My amendment would prevent government workers from unduly stripping veterans of their right to bear arms. Every veteran who bravely serves our country has earned VA benefits, and it’s wrong for the government to punish veterans who get a helping hand to manage those resources.” (Sen. Kennedy, Press Release, 3/04/2024)

Republicans Fought For And Won Key Reforms In Many Areas Of The Federal Government

Republicans Redirected Justice Department Agencies Back To Their Core Functions Of Protecting The Public And Public Officials And Prohibited Them From Investigating Parents And Churches For Exercising Their 1^st Amendment Rights

“Prohibits the DOJ from targeting or investigating parents who exercise their right to free speech at local school board meetings [and p]rohibits the DOJ from investigating or prosecuting churches on the basis of their religious beliefs.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

“Requiring the U.S. Marshals to fully enforce their obligation under federal law to protect Supreme Court Justices.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

“Increases the DEA’s funding to expand its efforts to combat fentanyl.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

Republicans Reined In The Fish And Wildlife Service, Making Sure Local Communities, Farmers And Ranchers Are More Involved In Endangered Species Determinations, And Protected Public Access To Federal Lands For Recreational Activities

“Restricting the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s ability to list species under the Endangered Species Act by reducing funding for that activity and giving specific direction for the agency to collaborate with local communities and stakeholders to avoid the unnecessary listing of key species.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

“Includes language to protect public access for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on federal lands.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

Republicans Prohibited Federal Mask Mandates On Public Transportation

“Prohibit[s] [the Department of Transportation] from enforcing COVID-19 mask mandates on public transportation conveyances and transportation hubs.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

Republicans Also Rejected Multiple Harmful Democrat Policies In These Appropriations Bills

Republican appropriators “[rejected] policy provisions included in the President’s Budget Request that would have reduced domestic energy production, driven up oil and gas prices, and increased U.S. dependence on foreign oil.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

Republicans also rejected Democrat demands to:

• “[Replace] Department of Commerce and DOJ vehicle fleets with electric vehicles, saving taxpayers nearly $54 million.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

• “[Continued] unjustified and unsustainable growth in spending on climate change programs.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)

• “[Continue] wasteful spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion programming at the VA.” (“Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024,” U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Release, 3/03/2024)