Dear John,

This past week was a busy – and important – one down in D.C.

As the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Department of Justice, I called attention to the potentially dangerous impact proposed budget cuts would have during an appropriations budget hearing on Wednesday.

Last year, I included strong funding increases for more local police officers as well as more Federal law enforcement and prosecutors. However, the extreme budget cuts proposed this year by the Freedom Caucus would greatly damage these critical public safety and crime-fighting efforts.

In addition to forcing the loss of hundreds of local police officers, such cuts would eliminate thousands of Federal prosecutors and FBI agents and analysts working to combat everything from gun violence to organized crime to domestic and international terrorism.

The proposal would also gut efforts to address the opioid crisis, combat violence against women, and prevent juvenile delinquency.

I will work tirelessly this year to help prevent such a damaging proposal from becoming law.

We cannot reverse the progress we have made.

Software Savings

Each year, the federal government spends billions of tax dollars on software purchases, renewals and licenses. Limited assessments of existing software assets, combined with the way vendors sell software, often results in federal agencies making duplicative purchases.

Without increased agency oversight and governance, software vendors profit at the expense of American taxpayers. 

That’s why I reintroduced the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act, bipartisan legislation to increase oversight of federal government software purchases to reduce wasteful spending of taxpayer dollars.

If passed, it would require federal agencies to provide an independent, comprehensive assessment of their software purchasing practices along with other commonsense cost saving and oversight measures.

The Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act will build on the success of my MEGABYTE Act, which was signed into law in 2016 and has saved American taxpayers over $450 million.

I am proud to be joined by Pennsylvania Republicans Reps. Dan Meuser (PA-09) and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01) as cosponsors of this bill, and Senators Gary Peters (D-MI) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) are leading the bipartisan companion legislation in the Senate.

You can read the full text of the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act here.

Astronaut Bob Hines stopped by my Washington office for a visit this week. He recently completed a 170-day mission as part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4. 

Hines, along with fellow astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Jessica Watkins and Italy's Samantha Cristoforetti, conducted more than 200 experiments across a number of fields including materials science, health technologies and plant science.

These experiments will help prepare future space explorers for their own missions and benefit life here on Earth.

While on this trip of a lifetime, Astronaut Hines was kind enough to bring me back a souvenir: a flag that was flown aboard the International Space Station.

As the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds NASA, I'm proud to have played a small part in their extraordinary journey to space and will continue to advocate for moving American space exploration and innovation forward.

Learn more about SpaceX Crew 4 here.

Also this week, I had the honor of meeting with Mariangela Zappia, the Italian Ambassador to the United States. A career diplomat with over 35 years of experience, she is the first woman in her country to hold this position.

While discussing issues of importance to both of our countries, I proudly shared with the Ambassador that I represent a district that is home to one of the largest Italian American communities in the state.

I look forward to future discussions with her on our collaborations with Italy’s emerging space agency. NASA is already partnering with Agenzia Spaziale Italiana on a satellite mission to help us better understand how airborne particle pollution puts our health at risk.

This study marks the first NASA mission whose primary goal is to benefit societal health and is intended to provide insights that will inform public health officials as well as members of Congress.

Next time you're checking the weather forecast, you just might see a familiar face.

It was a real treat to film a Public Service Announcement with the Weather Channel’s own Jim Cantore about the necessity of advance planning for extreme weather events.

That’s why I reintroduced the PREPARE Act last Congress to improve our national readiness for severe weather. Having a plan in place when disaster strikes is just as essential as national preparedness to keep you and your family safe.

Watch this space and the Weather Channel for the upcoming PSA. In the meantime, enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at this week's filming.

Be safe and well,