Finish Appropriating, Congress — Get It Done!

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Lawmakers in both parties need to come to the negotiating table and finish the annual spending package. The public deserves a budget that fully funds important services and invests in our future.

Passing 2022 appropriations is key to supporting our communities and protecting our country. A long-term CR would mean another year with outdated, insufficient funding levels for key priorities like veterans and health research — and continuing wasteful funding streams that no longer make sense.

In addition, lawmakers in both parties would miss the chance to use their newly reinstated power to secure funding for projects back home that will benefit their communities. These projects build streetlights, create job training and medical facilities, preserve historic landmarks, and so much more.

Whether you care about defense or non-defense, we can all agree that the public deserves an up-to-date budget reflecting today’s realities and priorities.

Get it done, Congress!

Excerpts of floor remarks from U.S. Senate Appropriations Chair Patrick Leahy:

“The actions we take, or don’t take, in this Chamber with respect to the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriations bills affect people’s lives and the direction of this nation. These bills provide for our national defense, help educate our nation’s children, provide medical care for our veterans, ensure we have clean air and water, invest in science, and provide a social safety net for our nation’s most vulnerable populations. We can and we should do our job and finish these bills in the coming weeks.”

“In order finish our work, however, we need to have an agreed upon topline that has been worked out on a bipartisan and bicameral basis. We cannot finalize bills unless we know how much we are able to spend. I have been calling for these negotiations for months. But we need all parties to come to the table. It takes both Republicans and Democrats to strike a deal.”

“The stakes are too high to play politics with the federal budget, and the consequences for the American people too great. The impacts of a full-year CR are too onerous for the country to bear. This is unquestionably true for those who claim to care about defense programs and national security. This fact alone should bring all parties to the negotiating table.”

“The next few days and weeks are critical, and I hope the American people realize what is at stake. I ask our colleagues on the other side of the aisle to join us in negotiating a path forward. It is not an exaggeration to say that the choice we face with these appropriations bills goes to the heart of why we are here.”

Read Chair Leahy’s full remarks.

 

Excerpt from a joint statement by U.S. House Appropriations Chairs:

“Given our experience with tough negotiations, we know that both sides will have to make compromises as part of the normal bicameral, bipartisan negotiations that are always part of the conference process. To get started, however, Republicans must come to the table. Every additional Continuing Resolution and delay will deprive our families, small businesses, communities, and military of the certainty they need. And a full-year Continuing Resolution, which some Republicans have expressed openness to, would be nothing short of catastrophic.”

Read their full statement.

 

This page is brought to you in partnership with the Coalition on Human Needs, a member of the Clean Budget Coalition.