Congressman Steve King releases the following video of comments he delivered during a Facebook Live broadcast Tuesday. In his remarks, King discusses his reasons for voting against irresponsible spending bills totaling $1.4 Trillion in spending that were rushed through the House of Representatives today with little to no opportunity for Members to review the contents prior to the votes.
While there are things in each of the bills that King likes (see the included list of King’s legislative successes below), such as the tax extenders package for the Bio-diesel credit (King was a cosponsor of that legislation), in the end it came down to this:
“The first thing I request is this: I want regular order. I want an open process. I want an opportunity to weigh in on these pieces of appropriations bills with amendments. I want to hear the debate on the amendments that others might have offered. And, in the end, I want also fiscal responsibility. $1.4 Trillion in spending without scrutiny is not fiscal responsibility. . .The whole picture was too much money, too little time, no process that allowed for any kind of oversight by the regular members on the floor of the House of Representatives.”
Despite his opposition to the underlying bills, Congressman King was incredibly successful in ensuring that many of his most important legislative priorities received funding. According to a document prepared by the House Appropriations Committee, the following King priorities were included in the 12 bills passed in the House of Representatives today.
Congressman Steve King (IA-4)
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- $1 million is provided for the new Genome to Phenome program at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
- No language is included to interfere with the mandatory funds provided to the Market Access Program.
- $16.3 million is provided in the bill for the National Animal Health Laboratory Network between the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
- $315 million for the Smith-Lever Act, Section 3(b) and 3(c) programs and cooperative extension, maintaining the FY19 level.
- $57 million for Extension Services at 1890 Institutions, an increase of $8.3 million.
- $67 million for the Evans-Allen Program/Research at 1890 Institutions within the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which is a $9 million increase.
- $1.3 billion is provided for the Agricultural Research Service, an increase of $44.3 million.
- $1 billion is provided for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Research and Education account, which is an increase of $105.4 million.
- $5.5 billion for direct electric loans for rural electric improvements as well as $750 million for guaranteed electric loans, the same level as provided in the FY19 enacted law.
- $20 million in loans is supported by the bill for the Rural Energy for America Program.
- $425 million for the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, an increase of $10 million.
- $259 million for the Hatch Act program within the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, maintaining the FY19 level.
- $36 million for the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry Act program, maintaining the FY19 level.
- The bill provides $26.5 million, an increase of $5.7 million for the appropriate assistance to state wildlife agencies for the Equine, Cervid, and Small Ruminant Health Program. The increased funds may also be used for research collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Academy of Sciences, and other public and private entities.
- $5.7 million increase for the Equine, Cervid, and Small Ruminant Health Program to address Chronic Wasting Disease.
- $5.7 million increase for the Equine, Cervid, and Small Ruminant Health Program includes research collaboration with the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Academy of Sciences, and other public and private entities.
- $175 million for the Natural Resources Conservation Service Small Watershed Program, which is a $25 million increase.
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- $547 million for the Department of Justice for Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG).
- $235 million for the Department of Justice for the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Hiring program.
- $244 million for the Department of Justice State Criminal Alien Assistance Program.
- $2.6 billion for grants administered by the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime.
- $38 million for the Department of Justice for regional information sharing activities.
- $48 million for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Space Grant program to support all 52 participating jurisdictions at no less than $760,000 each.
- $146 million for the Department of Commerce for the Hollings Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) program.
Defense
- $150 million provided in the Defense Health Program for Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research.
- $10 million increase in Army research for Peer-Reviewed Military Burn research.
- $7.1 million increase in Air Force operations and maintenance for the Civil Air Patrol.
- $11 million provided in Air Force procurement for Civil Air Patrol aircraft.
- $3.5 million provided in Air Force procurement for Civil Air Patrol vehicle and communication equipment procurement.
- $20 million provided in the Defense Health Program for Peer-Reviewed Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis research.
- $110 million provided in the Defense Health Program for Peer-Reviewed Prostate Cancer Research.
- $6 million provided in the Defense Health Program for Peer-Reviewed Tuberous Sclerosis Complex research.
Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies
- $425 million for Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
- $104 million for Department of Energy Wind Energy program.
- Full use of estimated annual revenues and some additional prior year revenues in the Inland Waterways Trust Fund (Corps of Engineers).
- $3.7 billion for Corps of Engineers Operation and Maintenance account.
- Report language on Corps of Engineers Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Program and additional funding specifically for multipurpose projects in the preconstruction engineering and design phase.
- $145.1 million total for Bureau of Reclamation rural water projects.
Homeland Security
- $1.9 billion for Customs and Border Protection Procurement, Construction, and Improvements: $1.375 billion for border barriers with no transfer restrictions, $14.8 million for coastal interceptor vessels, and $32.5 million for lightweight helicopters.
- Includes funds as requested for intelligent enforcement systems and opioid detection.
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Report language under Indian Health Service regarding the Siouxland Human Investment Partnership.
- $46 million in Fish and Wildlife Service – North American Wetlands Conservation Fund.
- $1.7 million in US Geological Survey – Surveys, Investigations, and Research for Chronic Wasting Disease.
- Report language under US Geological Survey – Surveys, Investigations, and Research, regarding Chronic Wasting Disease.
Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
- $38.7 million for the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights.
- $35 million for Sexual Risk Avoidance in the Department of Health and Human Services.
- $1.6 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Health and Human Services Health Centers program.
- $42.1 million for the Department of Health and Human Services Adoption Opportunities program.
- $55 million for the Department of Labor Homeless Veterans Reintegration program.
- $10 million for the Department of Health and Human Services National ALS Registry program.
- $94.5 million for the Department of Labor YouthBuild program.
- $12 million for the Department of Health and Human Services Healthy Athletes program.
- $40.2 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health.
- $5,285 maximum Pell Grant per individual in the academic year 2020-2021.
- $770 million for the Community Services Block Grant program.
- $1.1 billion for the Department of Education Federal Work Study program.
- Language included related to patient identification options.
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies
- Report language for Department of Veterans Affairs regarding funding of wheelchairs.
State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
- Language supporting the Action Plan on Children in Adversity.
- Language included on Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS).
- $227.5 million for Conventional Weapons Destruction.
Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Bill language requiring the Department of Transportation to exempt certain agricultural haulers from electronic logging device requirements.
- $162 million for the Department of Transportation Essential Air Service.
