Senate Approves Third Appropriations Package, Marking Passage of Nine Bipartisan Funding Bills
Legislation Includes Increased Support for America’s Military, Largest Pay Raise for Troops in Decade, Boost in NIH and Opioid Crisis Funds
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, today applauded the Senate’s passage of H.R. 6157, the third Fiscal Year 2019 minibus appropriations bill. The funding legislation packages the eighth and ninth FY2019 funding measures to be processed by the full Senate this year – Department of Defense; and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
“The last time that the Senate passed nine appropriations bills by the end of August was 1999,” said Chairman Shelby. “We collectively called earlier this year for a return to regular order in the appropriations process because it was broken, and the leaders on both sides – Senator McConnell and Senator Schumer – provided us the opportunity to follow through. I want to thank both of them for their leadership. I believe that we in the Senate are demonstrating that they made the right call. I also want to thank Vice Chairman Leahy, Senator Durbin, Senator Blunt, and Senator Murray. Their diligence and commitment to working in a bipartisan manner have been essential in passing these bills.”
“This package is extremely important to the security and prosperity of this nation. For the first time in a dozen years, we are in a position to send a defense appropriations bill to the President on time – one that continues to rebuild our military and gives them the support they deserve. The legislation also provides a significant increase in funding to advance medical research, improve rural health care, and fight the opioid crisis. Further, resources are provided to keep investing in state-focused education programs and college affordability through Pell Grants.
“The Senate is working to deliver on these significant priorities to make good on our promise to the American people – for the benefit of our nation. I thank all of my colleagues in the Senate for cooperation in passing these appropriations bills. I think it shows what the Senate can do when we work together, and I hope we can continue on this path,” concluded Shelby.
The funding measure was approved by a vote of 85 – 7. The package provides appropriations to support various national priorities within the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and other related agencies. The legislation includes an increase in funding for the Pentagon, the largest pay raise for our troops in a decade, as well as increased NIH funding and boosted resources for opioid treatment, prevention, and recovery programs. Both of the bills included in the package were passed by the full Senate Appropriations Committee with near-unanimous support.
This legislation follows this month’s passage of H.R. 6147, which was approved 92 – 6 and packaged four FY2019 measures including Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.
It also trails last month’s passage of H.R. 5895, a minibus which packaged the Energy and Water Development; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; and the Legislative Branch FY2019 appropriations bills. The Senate approved the three-bill package in July with the overwhelming support of 86 – 5.
Furthermore, all 12 of the Senate’s FY2019 appropriations measures were passed out of the committee by wide bipartisan margins and were approved by a cumulative committee vote of 363 – 9.
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