Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011

Floor Speech

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Mr. ADERHOLT. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for yielding.

Madam Speaker, as many have said here today, our government has a spending problem, and the American people are demanding we find a solution. The bill before us today is a step toward finding that solution.

The bill that we are voting on this afternoon is truly historic. It contains discretionary spending cuts that are nearly five times larger than any other cuts in history. The Homeland Security title of this CR strikes the right balance between funding priority programs that are essential to our Nation's security and keeping our discretionary spending in check. In fact, this bill marks the first time the annual discretionary budget for the Department of Homeland Security has been reduced from the previous fiscal year. This CR provides a total of $41.75 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Homeland Security. This funding level is $784 million below the FY 2010 and $1.89 billion below the President's FY 2011 request.

In contrast to previous annual spending bills, this CR provides funding for the actual costs of disasters from within the existing budget. So, rather than our relying upon an emergency supplemental to fund the disaster relief fund the White House was maneuvering for, the CR responsibly addresses the shortfall in disaster relief costs that the President failed to address in the FY 2011 budget request. Supporting the cost of security demands truth in budgeting, and this Congress is delivering where the President and OMB have failed.

Having said that, the Department of Homeland Security is not immune from fiscal discipline, and underperforming programs have been significantly cut in this CR. By implementing these cuts, we are not choosing between homeland security and fiscal responsibility. Both are serious national security issues that must be dealt with immediately.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentleman has expired.

Mr. ROGERS of Kentucky. I yield the gentleman an additional 30 seconds.

Mr. ADERHOLT. This is precisely why this CR also includes sufficient funding to sustain the critical operations at front line agencies, such as CBP, the Coast Guard, ICE, the Secret Service, TSA, and the department's intelligence office.

Madam Speaker, homeland security is far too important to be subjected to budget gimmicks and to inadequate justifications. The Homeland Security title of this CR responsibly funds programs that are vital to our Nation's security, programs that will help get our Federal budget on track.

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