The House of Representatives passed the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act to keep the government open and functioning through fiscal year 2015.
After passage, Representative Chuck Fleischmann released the following statement:
“This evening, the House performed its duty as representatives to ensure taxpayers’ dollars are wisely invested in effective programs and our government remains open and functioning.
The legislation we passed today will cut excessive spending for programs such as the IRS and EPA while responsibly funding critical programs like those that keep our brave men and women in uniform safe. By providing no new funding for Obamacare or President Obama’s executive amnesty, this Omnibus will responsibly fund the majority of our federal government through the end of the fiscal year. While this bill is not perfect, it is a product of bipartisan compromise, and I am hopeful the Senate will act quickly to avoid another government shutdown.”
The 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill will provide funding for the vast majority of the federal government through Sept. 30, 2015. Included in the Omnibus are significant program cuts and improved oversight of tax dollars; yet, critical programs, such as the research and work conducted in Oak Ridge, will remain funded. The bill will cut Internal Revenue Service funding by $345.6 million and Environmental Protection Agency funding by $60 million. Additionally, the Omnibus includes language led by Rep. Chuck Fleischmann to protect 2nd Amendment rights.
Congressman Scott DesJarlais released the following statement after voting against HR 83:
“This 1,603-page bill was released just the other day. There is absolutely no conceivable way any member of Congress had time to properly review this $1.1 trillion piece of legislation. Have we not learned the lesson that having to pass a bill to find out what is in it results in bad policy?
“One thing we do know is that this legislation provides funding for President Obama’s unconstitutional executive order on immigration. As the representative for Tennessee’s Fourth District, I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution. This is something I will not compromise on. Congress has the power of the purse and it is incumbent upon us to use this power to prevent the White House from violating the separation of powers.
“If the president wants immigration reform, then he should present his ideas to Congress and work within the proper constitutional framework. But he does not have the authority to disregard existing law – laws that he is constitutionally bound to execute. If Republicans won’t step up and hold this president accountable, who will?”