Rep. Chu Votes to Pass 2017 Omnibus Budget

Today, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to pass the 2017 Omnibus budget which funds the government for the remainder of the fiscal year, ending in September 2017. The Omnibus bill appropriates $1.07 trillion, including $551 billion for defense and $519 billion for nondefense, as well as $93.5 billion in additional funding designated for Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). It includes additional funding for the State Department and international programs, including nearly $1 billion to address global hunger, makes the Pell Grant program year-round. This legislation also contains essential health funding, including a $2 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including former Vice-President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, a $400 million increase for Alzheimer’s research, a $650 million increase for opioid addiction programs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and the Health Resources and Services Administration.

The Omnibus does not provide funding for President Trump’s Border Wall with Mexico or a deportation, as well as numerous high profile, controversial riders put forward by Republicans, including denying federal funds to so-called sanctuary cities, changes to Dodd-Frank, further limits on a woman’s access to contraceptives or a woman’s right to choose, efforts to roll back protections for American workers, and others.

Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27) released the following statement on her vote for the Omnibus:

“In addition to avoiding another unnecessary and harmful government shutdown, this bill demonstrates how a focus on a bipartisan middle ground can lead to success. By eschewing the radical demands of the far right, this budget keeps government open and will actually improve health and opportunities for millions. All on the bipartisan basis Americans have been yearning for. I’m particularly pleased that we could increase funding for the National Institutes of Health, address the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and support Puerto Rico, all while avoiding disastrous cuts to Planned Parenthood or the construction of a useless and xenophobic border wall. It also includes an important caveat that President Trump provide Congress with a plan to fight ISIS before receiving an additional $2.5 billion in funding. We cannot sign a blank check for war.

“This is not a perfect bill though. While bad proposals like the border wall and the attack on sanctuary cities – like Pasadena and Los Angeles – were excluded, this bill does include another $1.5 billion for increased border security, even as border crossings are down and deportations are up. Instead of an increased focus on our border as a security threat, I’d rather we invest that money in our severely backlogged immigration courts so that we can better serve the families with a legal right to be here; dedicate increased funding to addressing the causes of migration and the needs of asylum seekers; and fund a robust and humane refugee resettlement program. I was encouraged, however, by the reassurance that none of this additional funding can be used to increase immigrant detention above the levels agreed to in the bill. The bill also included a repeal of the detention bed mandate, something I have long advocated for. And so, while I continue to oppose Trump’s increased focus on immigrants as a security threat, for today, I am pleased that we could reach a bipartisan compromise to avoid a shutdown.”