Ranking Member James P. McGovern

House Committee on Rules

Representing Massachusetts' 2nd District

Ranking Member McGovern Condemns Republicans for Rushing to Pass Appropriations Package Without Passing a Budget

Calls out Republican leaders for including many unnecessary, controversial policy riders

**Video of his full speech is available online here**

WASHINGTON, DC — As consideration begins on the House Floor of Republicans’ minibus spending package today, Rules Committee Ranking Member Jim McGovern (D-MA) condemned Republican leaders for rushing to pass this package filled with harmful, partisan policy riders. McGovern also called out Republicans for bringing the Energy and Water Development, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations bills to the floor without passing a budget.

“Mr. Speaker, what happened to doing one bill at a time? We used to consider appropriations bill separately. But the Majority’s rule lumps several together to try and speed up the process,” said McGovern. “Funding the government is one of our most important responsibilities. Two of these bills would probably pass with broad bipartisan support. But apparently bipartisanship is not a priority for some in the Republican Conference, so they had to cram them together with a partisan bill full of harmful ideological riders. I would think the Majority would want strong, bipartisan votes on appropriations bills. We’ve had that in the past. We don’t have bipartisanship now as a direct result of the choices made by this Republican leadership.”

The Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill includes several unnecessary, controversial riders that will do more harm than good. That includes riders that would threaten the Endangered Species Act, provide exemptions from the Clean Water Act, meddle in California water issues, and prohibit implementation of a National Ocean Policy.

The bill also includes a rider that would allow firearms to be carried on all Corps of Engineers lands. This unnecessarily partisan provision has no place in this bill, and comes at a time when Republican leadership continues to block virtually any measure addressing the gun violence epidemic from being debated on the House Floor.

McGovern also highlighted House Republicans’ failure to pass a budget. The deadline for Congress to pass a budget was April 15th.  Although Senate leaders agreed on a budget deal earlier this year, Republican leaders in the House have failed to enact a budget resolution outlining their priorities for the fiscal year.

Bringing these appropriations bills to the House Floor without passing a budget leaves appropriators to make major funding decisions without big-picture guidance.

“There is no budget, and not even an attempt to get to one. Where are all of the Republican budget hawks? Where is your countdown clock with ‘days since the last budget’? This majority can’t even keep the lights on. We’ve seen two government shutdowns this year alone, and it is only June,” continued McGovern. “Mr. Speaker, it is time for the adults in Congress to stand up. Bring sanity back to our government. Bring professionalism back. Make your constituents proud. Make your government great again. You can start here today, by voting no on this rule.”

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