The 2018 midterm elections made loud and clear the voters’ desire to counteract Trump and the Republican party, and the House Appropriations Committee took action on Thursday to do just that.
NEW: The Appropriations Committee has approved the FY2020 Labor-HHS-Education funding bill, sending the it to the House floor: https://t.co/FsbcUGMTLP
Read the statements of Chairs @NitaLowey & @rosadelauro ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/tOsOTRHjL2
— House Appropriations (@AppropsDems) May 8, 2019
On Thursday, the House Appropriation Committee passed a spending budget with a vote of 28-22, strictly along party lines. The bill’s funding will counteract many of Trump’s worst policies, such as allowing medical providers to deny care on religious grounds. Additionally, it continues funding for aid to developing countries dealing with the effects of climate change and prohibits any funding for pulling the U.S. out of the Paris Climate Accord.
House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) issued a statement:
‘House Democrats are leading the way to fight for the people, and our appropriations bills reflect these values. We are investing in good governance and our institutions—and that includes the People’s House.’
We would like to sincerely thank the House Appropriations Committee for taking action to fund Gun Violence Research for the @NIH & @CDCgov.
The @NRA doesn’t want the people to know the full scope of the US gun violence epidemic.
Thankfully, they don’t have final say. pic.twitter.com/K2vBXoVYCc
— March For Our Lives (@AMarch4OurLives) May 8, 2019
The provisions of the spending bill address many of the same issues raised by the Climate Action Now Act, legislation that was passed in the House but blocked by the self-proclaimed “Grim Reaper’ of the Senate, Mitch McConnell.
‘The FY 2020 Legislative Branch Appropriations bill provides the House of Representatives with increased resources to carry out its responsibilities in developing legislation, conducting oversight, and assisting constituents in their interactions with the Federal Government. The bill also maintains and builds analytical capacity to support lawmaking and oversight, addresses high-priority needs involving information technology and security, and supports Legislative Branch agencies such as the Library of Congress and the Government Accountability Office in their wider roles of service to the nation.’
House Appropriations Committee Votes to Block Trump Administration's Dangerous Health Care Refusal Rule https://t.co/u3qHb3LKQl
— WebWire (@webwire) May 9, 2019
The bill will now go to the House floor in June. Chairman of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee on Appropriations Tim Ryan (D-OH) also expressed his hope for the bill’s passage:
‘I hear every day why proper resources and funding are needed to ensure the People’s House and Legislative Branch agencies are serving the needs of the American people.’
House Appropriations Committee votes to block implementation of Trump administration rule that would allow religious providers to discriminate against patients >> https://t.co/k0INmCPp1U
— Community Catalyst (@HealthPolicyHub) May 9, 2019
Featured image via Flickr by Misha Popovikj under a Creative Commons license