FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sent: May 3, 2022
Contact: Eduardo Carrizosa, [email protected]

Blue Dog Coalition Urges Inclusion of Coalition’s Priorities in Upcoming Appropriations Bills  

Areas of focus include national defense, border security, fiscal responsibility, and rural advancement 

WASHINGTON—The Co-Chairs of the Blue Dog Coalition—Reps. Tom O’Halleran (AZ-01), Ed Case (HI-01), Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), and Kurt Schrader (OR-05)—sent a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations urging the inclusion of the Coalition’s priorities in the Fiscal Year 2023 federal funding measures. In the letter, the Co-Chairs made specific requests in areas like national defense, border security, fiscal responsibility, and rural advancement. The full text of the letter is below, and a PDF can be found here:

April 29, 2022

Dear Chair DeLauro and Ranking Member Granger: 

As our House Appropriations Committee begins crafting our Fiscal Year 2023 federal funding measures, we write to request inclusion of the following priorities of the Blue Dog Coalition. These priorities advance our Coalition’s focus on the areas of national defense, fiscal responsibility and government efficiency, economic strength and rural advancement. 

NATIONAL DEFENSE

A strong national defense is a necessity, and we must ensure that our armed services have the resources they need to maintain our security posture amidst growing threats. We also believe that it is both a security and moral imperative to support the Ukrainian people in their defense of their homeland from Vladimir Putin’s unprovoked war. To these ends: 

• We request no less than $813.3 billion in Defense spending, per the President’s request. 

• We request the highest possible funding for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and the European Deterrence Initiative within the Defense Appropriations bill.

• To continue our support for Ukraine, we ask for the highest possible funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative in the Defense Appropriations Bill and Foreign Military Financing for Ukraine in the State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill.

BORDER SECURITY 

Full and fair enforcement of our immigration and customs laws including securing our borders is a matter of national sovereignty, economic stability and fulfillment of international obligations. To this end: 

1. We request no less than $5.5 billion for Customs and Border Patrol, Border Security Operations in the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. This is equivalent to the President’s budget request and will help agents manage the influx of migrants.
   
   

2. We request no less than $8.5 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. This is level with the President’s budget request and will help enforce customs and immigration law at the border.
   
   

3. We request the highest possible funding for the Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement Unaccompanied Children Program, in the Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, which will help ensure that refugees are settled with dignity and that vulnerable populations receive the support they need when entering the United States.
   
   

4. We request the highest possible funding for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quarantine stations - Division of Global Migration and Quarantine US/Mexico Unit, in the Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, which will help ensure that health precautions are taken at the border and the pandemic is effectively managed.
   
   

5. We request the highest possible funding for the Binational Border Infectious Disease Surveillance Program, in the Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill, which will help coordinate the COVID-19 response with Mexico and control the spread of COVID-19 in border communities.
   
   

6. We request the highest possible funding for FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program in the Department of Homeland Security Bill.
   
   

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY/GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY 

Ensuring that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently must remain a top priority. This year in particular, billions of dollars will be mobilized to implement the Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act, among other programs.  To strengthen government oversight and prevent waste, fraud and abuse:

1. We request the highest possible funding for Inspectors General across all twelve appropriations bills so that they have the full resources need prevent and address waste, fraud and abuse.
   
   

2. We request a separate appropriations line for the Council on Inspectors General (CIGIE) in the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill. CIGIE currently operates off dues from the Inspectors General community, which leads to funding uncertainty. This will allow CIGIE to continue its work strengthening the Inspectors General community.
   
   

ECONOMIC STRENGTH/RURAL ADVANCEMENT 

We must continue to focus on full economic recovery. Our rural communities in particular require specialized programs and funding. To these ends: 

1. We request $275 million in funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program in the Commerce Justice Science Appropriations Bill, which provides assistance to small and medium sized manufacturers across the nation.
   
   

2. We request $5 million for the Rural Capacity Building Program in the Transportation-Housing, Urban Development Appropriations Bill to continue to help rural municipalities tackle the rural housing crisis. 
   
   

3. We request $50 million to bolster the Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Recovery Loan Repayment Program in the Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Bill to close the mental health care provider gap in communities suffering from the opioid epidemic.
   
   

4. We request the highest possible funding for the ReConnect loan program in the Agriculture Appropriations Bill, which will help deliver broadband infrastructure in rural areas.

We appreciate your full consideration of our Coalition’s requests. Please call on us for any questions or assistance. 

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