Chair McCollum Floor Remarks on Short-Term Funding Bill

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (MN-04), Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, voted for the short-term Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act, which continues federal government funding through March 11 to provide time to complete bipartisan, bicameral negotiations on fiscal year 2022 appropriations legislation. Chair McCollum today delivered the following remarks on the House Floor in support of H.R. 6617:

"Madam Speaker, it is unfortunate that we are here again today to pass another Continuing Resolution. I know that the Appropriators on both sides of the aisle want to get a full fiscal year 2022 omnibus done. And I want to thank Chair DeLauro for her tireless efforts to negotiate a bipartisan agreement with the Senate. We have to pass this CR today because America simply cannot afford a shutdown. A shutdown would have a disastrous impact on our continuing economic recovery. It would diminish our ability to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. And Europe is facing one of the greatest threats since the end of World War II.

"Our federal government should be sending a strong, unified message to Vladimir Putin that we stand with our European allies. As Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, I want to highlight a critical life, health, and safety provision in this CR for our brothers and sisters in Hawaii. The fuel leak that occurred at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii last November is nothing short of an environmental catastrophe—one that has impacted thousands of residents. This spill never should have happened. And Congress will hold the Department of Defense accountable to make this right. Today we have provided an additional $350 million for the Department and the Services to continue their efforts to address this crisis. I want to thank my colleagues from Hawaii for leading on this issue. You have my commitment that our subcommittee will continue to stay on top of this. The people in Hawaii impacted by this spill deserve clean drinking water.

"That is just one more reason to support the CR today. I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote yes. Let's keep government open and get the full omnibus across the finish line. I yield back the balance of my time."

The Further Additional Extending Government Funding Act continues funding at current levels through March 11, 2022, and provides $350 million in direly-needed funding to address water contamination from the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii. The legislation, H.R. 6617, passed the House today. A section-by-section summary is here. The full text of the legislation is here.

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