Newhouse Statement on Bipartisan Vote to Fund Defense and Health Priorities, Government Operations
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) released the following statement after the House of Representatives voted 361-61 to approve the Conference Report to accompany H.R. 6157, the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2019. H.R. 6157 provides funding for the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and related agencies, and includes a short-term Continuing Resolution until December 7, 2018 to keep the government open until all annual appropriations funding bills can be considered and signed into law. The legislation now heads to the President for his signature.
"I voted for this bipartisan legislation to support funding for our national defense and provide the men and women in our military with the largest pay increase in nine years," said Rep. Newhouse. "Our military needs stable funding in order to maintain readiness to face current and future threats. This legislation gives our warfighters the tools and the support they need. Approval of this legislation is an important step in returning to regular order and is the first time in a decade that the defense budget will be passed on time. I am also pleased that this bill includes strong support for school safety grants and provides funds to increase access to mental health providers."
Click here and here for more information on the Conference Report.
This legislation provides:
An increase in troop strength and new equipment. This bill funds an increase of 16,400 in our total troop end strength, and the procurement of new equipment, including 13 Navy ships, 93 F-35 aircraft, 18 C-130J aircraft, 58 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, 13 V-22 aircraft, and the upgrade of 135 Abrams tanks.
The biggest pay raise for our troops in nine years. This bill fully funds a 2.6 percent pay raise for our troops—the largest in nine years. It provides funding to support service members' care through cancer research, traumatic brain injury research, and sexual assault prevention.
Defense funding on time for the first time in a decade. If enacted, the Defense Department won't have to operate under a continuing resolution for the first time in 10 years. This gives the Pentagon much-needed stability and predictability after years of stopgap funding.
Resources to fight the opioid epidemic. This bill provides a historic level of funding—$3.8 billion—to fight the opioid epidemic, which claims the lives of more than 100 people in our country every day. These resources will go directly to helping treat addiction and expand access to mental health services in communities across the country.
Better and safer schools. This bill boosts funding for special education and charter schools. It increases funding for grants that support school safety activities, including student mental health services and bullying prevention.
Workforce development. With a record 6.94 million job openings right now, this bill increases funding for career and technical education programs by nearly $95 million. It is another step toward making it easier for students to get the skills and training they need for good jobs.