At a House Rules Committee meeting, Ranking Member Jim McGovern (D-MA) addressed the progress on two appropriations bills and raised concerns about recent actions by the President regarding the Department of Justice.
McGovern noted that the committee was considering the Financial Services and General Government bill alongside the National Security, State Department, and Related Programs bill for Fiscal Year 2026. These two bills have been combined into a minibus package. He criticized Republican leadership for delays in passing these measures, stating, "Here we are again—two more spending bills before us that were supposed to be finished last year. I guess Republicans want a pat on the back for finishing up work that could have been done last year. I get that some years it’s hard to make the deadline. But in this case, you could have used the months the Speaker shut down the House at the end of the year to get this done. Floor time availability was not an excuse last year."
He highlighted several provisions in the legislation: "$30 million more for election security grants. $5.5 billion for international humanitarian assistance." McGovern also pointed out that "this package largely rejects President Trump’s proposed $163 billion in cuts to domestic programs," and credited Democratic negotiators with blocking "more than 80 new extreme MAGA riders that tried to inject culture war garbage into the appropriations process."
According to McGovern, certain policy riders targeting reproductive care, clean energy initiatives, humanitarian aid restrictions, and interference with D.C.'s local government were removed from consideration: "There were poison pills that would have attacked reproductive care. Undermined clean energy. Restricted humanitarian aid. Interfered with D.C. local government. And more. Those riders are not in this bill. And that did not happen by accident."
He added that while no appropriations bill is perfect, this one avoids a lapse in funding and blocks several controversial proposals: "So, is this package perfect? No. No appropriations bill ever is. But it does avoid another lapse in funding, and it rejects some very bad ideas."
Turning to recent news over the weekend, McGovern expressed concern about what he described as political interference with federal law enforcement agencies: "On Sunday, we learned that the President of the United States is dramatically expanding his weaponization of the Department of Justice—this time by opening an unprecedented investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell." He characterized these actions as part of a broader pattern: "This is about revenge. It’s about silencing people who won’t do what Donald Trump tells them to do."
McGovern cited examples where he believes federal prosecutors were used for political purposes: "He publicly demanded an indictment of James Comey. James Comey was indicted... He publicly demanded the indictment of New York Attorney General Letitia James. She was indicted... He’s prosecuting our colleague LaMonica McIver for conducting constitutionally sanctioned congressional oversight... He demanded Pam Bondi find a reason to investigate Adam Schiff, and poof—like magic, the DOJ launches an investigation into Adam Schiff."
He warned his Republican colleagues against complacency or believing they would be exempt from such actions: "And I think a lot of Republicans don’t like what’s happening—but they think it will pass... And I would just say to those Republicans: Do not be fooled... Trump will turn on you, and investigate you, and indict you with bogus charges..."
McGovern concluded by cautioning against allowing law enforcement agencies to become tools for political retaliation: "And when the President starts using federal prosecutors as political hitmen… When law enforcement becomes a tool of retaliation and revenge… then the rule of law itself is on the chopping block..."
