03.14.14

Chairwoman Mikulski Announces Omnibus Agreement

 

COMMITTEE on APPROPRIATIONS

CHAIRWOMAN BARBARA A. MIKULSKI

For Immediate Release: January 13, 2014

Contact: Vince Morris w Chairwoman Mikulski (202) 224-1010

CHAIRWOMAN MIKULSKI STATEMENT ON THE FY14 OMNIBUS

WASHINGTON, D.C.— U.S. Senator Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, released the following statement on the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014:

"The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014 is the product of bipartisan, bicameral compromise.

Chairman Rogers and I forged this agreement, along with our Ranking Members, Senator Shelby and Congresswoman Lowey, because we are determined to fulfill Congress’ most basic Constitutional responsibility: funding the operations of the federal government.

But we didn’t do it alone. The agreement includes the work of all of our Subcommittee Chairs and Ranking Members – in total, nearly 50 Members of the House and Senate, an equal number of Democrats and Republicans. It is truly a bipartisan agreement that a significant number of Members worked day and night over the holidays, and I thank them all for their dedication.

I’m especially pleased that we were able to right a wrong in this bill and keep faith with our veterans. We do that by repealing the recently enacted cut to COLA’s for disabled military retirees and survivors. This is the right thing to do and I am proud that we were able to include it in this larger funding plan.

This agreement shows the American people that we can compromise, and that we can govern. It puts an end to shutdown, slowdown, slamdown politics.

I’m pleased that this agreement includes all 12 appropriations bills. For the first time since 2011, no mission of our government will be left behind on autopilot.

We also keep faith with hard working federal employees in this bill by funding their first COLA increase in four years and ending the uncertainties of shutdowns and furloughs. That’s the right thing to do.

This agreement will not be viewed as perfect by everyone. It required difficult choices, and nobody got everything they wanted. But this agreement is what we need now to move the country forward by funding the critical missions of our government and investing in America’s greatest assets -- our people, our infrastructure, and the research and discoveries that will create jobs today and in the future. And at the same time, the agreement ensures the American people get value for their taxpayer dollars by ending dated, duplicative, and dysfunctional programs.

This agreement would not have been possible without the hard work of Budget Committee Chairmen Murray and Ryan, and I thank them for their efforts to provide this path.

The House and Senate will consider the agreement this week, and I look forward to its passage and enactment."

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