Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, delivered the following remarks at the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee's markup of its fiscal year 2022 bill:
Today begins the marathon, if you will, of Appropriations. This has the distinction of being the first subcommittee markup so we are on our way. I want to say thank you to both the Chair and Ranking Member for your work, your diligence, and, above all, your commitment to the work of the Subcommittee and also your commitment to this institution and, most importantly, your commitment to the constituents you represent here and reflect their views as well.
The Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee covers some of the federal initiatives most important to working families, and I am so proud of the bold steps this bill takes to rebuild from the devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic.
I am incredibly pleased we included $13.6 billion for operations of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that will allow for the successful implementation of the expanded and improved - and now - monthly Child Tax Credit. The American Rescue Plan ensured that we will cut child poverty by 55 percent and it created a lifeline to the middle class.
I have been working on this issue for over 18 years, and the Committee is upholding our commitment to ensuring the Treasury and the IRS have the resources to make this transformational benefit a success for millions of children and their families in the United States. We need to make the expansion and improvements of the Child Tax Credit permanent. I am also proud of the increased funding for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program that is critical to ensuring that low-income Americans file their tax returns to receive the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the other credits they are owed.
As we provide a lifeline to our most vulnerable and the middle class, we also must ensure that big corporations and the wealthy, who all too often call the shots, are paying their fair share in taxes. This bill begins to rebuild IRS enforcement by providing an increase of $1.7 billion to crack down on tax cheats and offer better customer service to working families navigating the tax system.
This bill also invests in our judicial system’s crumbling infrastructure with money for the rebuilding and repair of courthouses.
By providing an increase of $111.9 million for the Small Business Administration and an increase of $60 million for Community Development Financial Institutions, the investments in this bill will foster and support small businesses across American communities.
As we lift up small businesses, this legislation protects consumers from defective products by providing $172 million, an increase of $37 million, for the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It also protects Americans from the unfair and predatory practices of big corporations through an increase of $39 million for the Federal Trade Commission.
This legislation also protects our democracy with $500 million for the Election Assistance Commission’s Election Security Grants. The past five years have shown us how vulnerable our democracy is to foreign interference. This bill works to build the systems and infrastructure needed to safeguard the integrity and safety of our democracy.
Finally, by providing $300 million for the Electric Vehicle Fund to transform the Federal vehicle fleet to electric and zero emission vehicles, this legislation plays a crucial role in addressing climate change and helping to cultivate a cleaner, healthier planet for future generations.
The bill also commits resources to cybersecurity, drug free communities, and address drug trafficking.
These investments will make a real difference in the lives and livelihoods of the middle class and in the life of our democracy. I look forward to continuing to work with all of you as we move to full committee consideration and I urge your support for this important legislation.
Source: U.S. Department of HCA
