Chair McCollum’s Floor Statement on FY 22 Continuing Resolution

Congresswoman Betty McCollum (DFL-Minn.), Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, today delivered the following remarks on the House Floor regarding the Fiscal Year 2022 Continuing Resolution to prevent a government shutdown and extend funding until February 18, 2022 – more than four months past the start of the fiscal year:

"Madam Speaker, we are here today to prevent the Republicans from shutting down the federal government tomorrow. Republicans in the U.S. Senate are holding the FY22 appropriations process hostage by refusing to do any work – let alone negotiate with Democrats. Rather than doing their job of funding the federal government, Senate Republicans want to kick the can down the road, wasting the first four and a half months of the fiscal year.

"As Chair of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, it is clear that Republicans are undermining our national security. They are increasing waste and inefficiency. They are weakening our military readiness. And they are sending a signal to our troops and the millions of workers in the defense industry that their needs are not a priority.

"The American people should be sick and tired of hearing Republicans in Congress talk about how we need a stronger national defense, while doing everything in their power to weaken our national defense. This is a time of instability in the world. Russia is knocking on the doorstep of Ukraine. China is at the doorstep of Taiwan. There are serious national security threats in the world.

"When our adversaries look at Congress, they see Republicans playing political games, rather than investing in research and modernization. What kind of message does that send to our adversaries? What kind of message does that send to the men and women of our military, who we ask to do the toughest jobs while putting their lives on the line?

"I am voting for this Continuing Resolution to prevent a Republican shutdown. But I must say, while this CR is necessary, I find it to be an unacceptable outcome. I yield back the balance of my time."

The legislation, H.R. 6119, is expected to be considered in the House today. A detailed, section-by-section summary is here. The full text of the legislation is here.

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