Congressman Mike Quigley (D-IL), Chair of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Appropriations Committee's markup of the fiscal year 2023 Financial Services and General Government bill:
“In a moment I’ll talk about the mark itself, but first I would like to thank staff on both sides for their efforts in drafting this bill and preparing us for this markup.
“On the majority staff of the committee that includes Laura, Marybeth, Elliot, Aalok, Alex, and Matt, as well as Charlie in my personal office. And for the minority, John Martens and Jessica Powell.
“I want to thank my colleague, Mr. Womack, for his hard work and collaboration on this bill.
“I appreciate his partnership in developing the best possible bill during this challenging time.
“I’d also like to thank the Chair of the Full Committee, Ms. DeLauro, for her tremendous leadership and stewardship of this Committee, as well as the Committee’s distinguished “Ranking Member Ms. Granger. I’ve had the pleasure of working with the Chair and it truly has been an honor.
“The subcommittee was able to hold a hearing schedule this year that included witnesses from the SEC, FTC, OMB, IRS, and the Judiciary. In these hearings we were able to explore issues facing agencies funded in this bill and have an informed and robust conversation.
“The subcommittee mark recommends $30 billion. This is an increase of $4.3 billion above the comparable fiscal year 2022 level.
“The bill includes $13.6 billion for the IRS, an increase of $1 billion above fiscal year 2022 and continues restoring the IRS from draconian cuts this agency has suffered for over almost a decade.
“This investment will support more effective and efficient enforcement activities that address taxpayers in all tax brackets. This funding will also support better customer service by reducing wait times and increasing assistance to people trying to pay their taxes.
“Notably, the bill includes $336 million for Community Development Financial Institutions, which is $41 million above the fiscal year 2022 level. I’ve long been a supporter of CDFIs, which provide critical resources to underserved communities.
“In addition, the bill provides $326 million for the Small Business Administration’s Entrepreneurial Development Programs, which is $36 million above the fiscal year 2022 level.
“The bill includes significant funding for the General Services Administration, including a robust investment to combat climate change. A new $100 million Electric Vehicles Fund will both replace vehicles in the GSA Fleet with electric vehicles and build electrical vehicle charging stations. The bill also provides $80 million for GSA to manage climate change risks and safeguard Federal real property, along with close to $1 billion to modernize and improve the GSA real property portfolio by reducing their climate impact and improving resiliency.
“The bill also includes funding for programs to combat the opioid epidemic under the Office of National Drug Control Policy to ensure this crisis receives the highest level of federal attention it deserves.
“Specifically, $300 million is included for the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, an increase of $3 million above fiscal year 2022, and the Drug-Free Communities Program is funded at $110 million.
“The bill includes $8.6 billion in discretionary appropriations for the Judicial Branch—an increase of $587 million over fiscal year 2022, to fund protective services and physical security needs in courthouses and ensure the continued operations of the Federal Judiciary.
“The bill also increases funding for agencies that protect everyday consumers and retail investors, including the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Federal Trade Commission, and the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“Finally, I’d like to take a moment to highlight an issue that has been a priority of mine, election security.
“States are on the front lines of protecting our elections from foreign attacks, and it is our responsibility to support these efforts.
“The bill before us today includes $400 million for payments to States to help them meet the challenge of ensuring the security and integrity of American elections.
“The bill also includes $34 million for the Election Assistance Commission—a 70 percent increase above fiscal year 2022—to support State and local election officials on all aspects of election administration and ensure reliable, secure, and accessible elections.
“The bill also takes seriously the broader cyber threat to this country. It provides $22 million for a new Office of the National Cyber Director in the Executive Office of the President to help coordinate Federal cybersecurity policy and strategy.
“I am also proud that the bill removes several longstanding policy riders that I consider to be harmful, including many that dictate to the District of Columbia how to manage its own affairs or spend its own money or that limit transparency into political spending. In particular, the bill removes reproductive care restrictions that unduly penalize the women of the District of Columbia and ensures that the federal government does not interfere with the personal health decisions of DC residents.
“I am also very pleased with the many ways in which this bill stands to improve the lives of the American public, whether by improving their tax filing experience, protecting their financial investments, promoting small business creation, or combating drug trafficking, I could go on and on.
“So, I look forward to discussing these issues today and yield back the balance of my time.”
Original source can be found here.
