U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks Statement on the House Passage of Fiscal Year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Package
U.S. Rep. Gregory W. Meeks Statement on the House Passage of Fiscal Year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Package
Excerpt: This spending bill supports priorities by funding for the Affordable Care Act, Head Start, new pre-K initiatives, and infrastructure investments. The bill however, falls short on a number of critical spending priorities. It fails to fund the extension of unemployment insurance (UI). As a result, 383,000 New Yorkers will not receive unemployment insurance benefits. Congress neglected to address imminent flood insurance premium increases, an issue exacerbated by Super Storm Sandy.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Gregory W. Meeks (NY-05) Senior Member of the House Financial Services Committee released the following statement on the House’s Passage of the Fiscal Year 2014 Consolidated Appropriations Package:
”With today’s vote, Congress assured the public that the government shutdown of 2013 will not be repeated in 2014. The vote does away with the meaningless budget sequester that hurt American families by indiscriminately slashing funding to important government programs.
“I commend the White House, Majority Leader Reid, and the Democrat and Republican leadership in the House for setting aside partisanship and crafting an appropriations bill that keeps to the framework established in last December’s budget agreement. In doing so we are able to manage our debt while funding our government for the long term.
“This spending bill supports priorities by funding for the Affordable Care Act, Head Start, new pre-K initiatives, and infrastructure investments. These investments will help to grow our economy, create middle class jobs, and improve economic security for American families across the country.
“The bill however, falls short on a number of critical spending priorities. It fails to fund the extension of unemployment insurance (UI). As a result, 383,000 New Yorkers are will not receive unemployment insurance benefits. Congress neglected to address imminent flood insurance premium increases, an issue exacerbated by Super Storm Sandy. I am also deeply disappointed that the National Institute of Health is funded below 2012 levels. This slows the development of the latest treatments and advancements in medical technology. Finally, the budget does nothing meet our international commitments to funding the International Monetary Fund, an organization dedicated to addressing global economic stability.
“The roughly $1 trillion spending bill is a step in the right direction, but there is still much work to be done. It is my hope that the bipartisanship extended while working on the budget and spending bills will extend to address these critical shortcomings. [End]