Press Releases

WASHINGTON D.C. — In a vote of 217-197, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 7617, which is comprised of six appropriations bills for FY 2021. After the vote, Rep. French Hill (AR-02) released the following statement:

“Once again, Speaker Pelosi has charged ahead with a spending package that does nothing more than appease her far-left, progressive acolytes. This bill does not prioritize the values of hardworking, taxpaying Arkansas families who are trying but struggling during this pandemic. One year ago, Republicans and Democrats negotiated a budget deal that limited discretionary spending, and Speaker Pelosi has blown through that to the tune of an additional quarter trillion dollars in unnecessary spending – breaking their promise to Arkansans and Americans and showing their true colors by discarding their promise to work across the aisle.

“I am disappointed – but not surprised – that House Democrats chose to package together Republican amendments that they disagreed with rather than debating them on their individual merits – including two of my amendments that would have saved Arkansas taxpayers tens of millions of dollars and promoted accountability and transparency in the federal government.”

Background on Rep. Hill’s amendments:

Rules Committee Amendment #248 would have struck all guidance requiring $100 million to be obligated to carry out the Affordable Care (ACA) Act Navigator Program

• In 2017, the ACA’s Navigator Program received $62.5 million in grants but enrolled only 81,426 individuals, accounting for less than 1% of total Obamacare enrollment for that year
• The Congressional Budget Office scored this amendment as reducing outlays by $75 million
• These funds would be better spent on items such as mental health research or substance abuse research at the National Institute of Health

Rules Committee Amendment #249 would have transferred $2.6 million from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) account to the Office of Labor Management Standards (OLMS) account

• The 2018 OLMS report stated that in 2017, 15% of their union audits resulted in criminal cases, and in 2018, 20% of union audits resulted in criminal cases
• According to the Department of Labor, Democratic cuts proposed in the underlying bill would result in OLMS conducting 30 fewer audits and 24 fewer criminal investigations
• A Government Accountability Office investigation of the NLRB, which was requested by Democrats, is currently reviewing reports that the NLRB has demonstrated an inability to use appropriated funds properly
• These funds would be better spent on ensuring our nation’s labor unions are following the law

Background on the Department of Defense Appropriations Act:

H.R. 7617 was introduced on July 16, and it passed in the House on July 31. It represents 6 of the 12 annual appropriations bills and includes funding for, among other activities, the Defense, Commerce-Justice-Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, Labor-HHS-Education, and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development.

Some highlights of H.R. 7617 include:

• Placing new restrictions on the president’s ability to secure our border and prohibits funding for the border wall
• Numerous partisan, poison pill riders that restrict the ability of the commander-in-chief to respond to emergencies
• Underfunding the Justice Department’s federal law enforcement agencies
• Placing conditions on state and local law enforcement to receive grant funding and advances the “defund the police” agenda
• Over $200 billion in “emergency” spending, including $186 billion to fund Democrats’ partisan infrastructure programs
• Irresponsibly repealing the 2001 and 2002 AUMF as well as hinders the commander-in-chief to defend the United States from Iran
• Underfunding the modernization of our nuclear weapons stockpile and undercuts
• America’s path toward renewed space supremacy and dominance over China

Cutting funding for charter schools