Chair Shaheen Remarks on Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Bill at Markup
ICYMI: Summary of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill – READ HERE
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks on the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill as the full committee meets to consider the bill.
Senator Shaheen’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, are below:
“Thank you, Chair Murray and Vice Chair Collins, for your leadership and support for the fiscal year 2024 Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. Your efforts to return to regular order, so that all of us here have a say in the bills we produce, are welcome.
“First, I want to thank my friend, Ranking Member Moran, and his staff—Brian Daner, Kevin Wheeler and Alex Schultz—for working closely with me and my staff to draft this important bill.
“We held substantive hearings, listened to the concerns of all Committee Members and our Senate colleagues, and worked to respond to the needs of the Nation and our individual states. This Subcommittee has a record of bipartisan collaboration, and I am proud that this bill carries on that tradition.
“The 2024 CJS bill before us meets the Subcommittee allocation of $71.7 billion in discretionary funding, and continues investing in a wide range of critical programs that affect the lives of all Americans.
“It prioritizes keeping our communities and Nation safe and secure, furthering United States leadership in science and innovation, and assisting the growth and prosperity of American businesses at home and overseas.
“We have worked to ensure this bill gives our communities the tools they need to build a safe and prosperous future.
“These investments focus on critically important needs like combatting violent crime and gun violence, supporting survivors of domestic and sexual violence and tackling the epidemic of substance use disorder, particularly as New Hampshire and other states battle deadly threats like fentanyl and Xylazine poisonings.
“In addition, the bill addresses economic security across our country. We make critical investments that will directly foster economic growth, accelerate exports of American products, enhance safety through accurate weather prediction and promote innovation throughout the economy. A stronger economy only makes us safer.
“And these economic investments are also necessary and critical for our national security.
“Finally, this CJS bill prioritizes many other important policies necessary for America’s future success, including investments in climate resilience, environmental restoration and space exploration.
“Just some specific examples of the resources we provide for incredibly important missions and programs are: $732 million for Violence Against Women Act grants—the highest funding level ever for these lifesaving programs; $612 million to fight the ongoing and evolving opioid epidemic; $11 billion to advance initiatives from the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act; $1.5 billion for NOAA’s weather satellites, which are key to accurate weather prediction needed to protect life and property, as we’ve seen just this week from the torrential rains and flooding in New England; and the tools for NASA to return astronauts to the Moon, including the first woman and person of color, and maintain U.S. leadership in space.
“These represent just a handful of the more than 1,600 programmatic requests from Senators that Senator Moran and I tried to meet. They made this bill better, and we were glad to work with all of you to create a bill you can support.
“None of this would have been possible without my dedicated staff, and I would like to thank Jess Berry, Mike Bednarczyk, Blaise Sheridan, Lindsay Erickson and Angela Caalim for their good work.”
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