Thursday, U.S. Senator Richard Shelby, R-Alabama, praised the Senate’s passage of HR6157. This bill packages the eighth and ninth Fiscal Year 2019 appropriations measures to be processed by the full Senate this year. It funds the money for the Department of Defense; and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.
“Passage of this legislation is a significant accomplishment and proves to be another step toward achieving regular order,” said Senator Shelby.
“Appropriators on both sides of the aisle have embraced a willingness to reject poison pill riders and work together for the good of the American people.”
“Both of these measures provide critical investments for various priorities in Alabama, including funding for one of the most significant areas – defense,” Shelby continued. “In a time of heightened global threats, it is vital that we prioritize national security. Alabama’s defense industry is rapidly growing, and I look forward to seeing the developments that stem from this funding.”
“The legislation also provides a significant increase in funding to advance medical research, improve rural health care, and fight the opioid crisis, including investments in treatment, prevention, and recovery programs,” Shelby concluded. “Further, resources are provided to continue investing in Alabama’s education programs.”
The full Senate has now approved nine of the twelve spending bills, containing nearly 90 percent of discretionary spending for FY2019.
The funding measure was approved by a vote of 85 to 7.
The package provides appropriations to support various national priorities within the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and other related agencies. The legislation includes an increase in funding for the Pentagon, the largest pay raise for our troops in a decade, as well as increased NIH (National Institute of Health) funding and boosted resources for opioid treatment, prevention, and recovery programs.
Both of the bills included in the package were passed by the full Senate Appropriations Committee with near-unanimous support.
Earlier this month the Senate passed HR6147, which was approved on a 92 to 6. The packaged four FY2019 measures included: Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Financial Services and General Government; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies.
Last month the Senate passed HR5895, a minibus which packaged the Energy and Water Development; Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; and the Legislative Branch FY2019 appropriations bills. The Senate approved the three-bill package in July with the overwhelming support of 86 to 5.
All 12 of the Senate’s FY2019 appropriations measures were passed out of the committee by wide bipartisan margins and were approved by a cumulative committee vote of 363 to 9.
U.S. Senator Richard Shelby just became the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations in April after former Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Mississippi, retired due to declining health
