[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 36 (Monday, March 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E505-E506]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 25, 2009

  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support 
of H.R. 1105, the ``Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009''. I would like to 
thank my colleague Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Lewis for 
introducing this important legislation. I would especially like to 
thank the respective subcommittee chairs and ranking members who I 
worked closely with in obtaining the funds necessary to help the 
citizens of the 18th Congressional District of Texas. These funds were 
vital in helping the Houston area. I want to especially thank:
  Alan Mollohan Chairman and Frank R. Wolf Ranking member of the 
subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies.
  Peter J. Visclosky Chairman and Rodney P. Frelinghuysen Ranking 
member of the subcommittee on Energy and Water Development.
  David E. Price Chairman and Harold Rogers Ranking member of the 
subcommittee on Homeland Security.
  David Obey Chairman and Todd Tiahrt of the subcommittee on Labor, 
Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies.


                              TEXAS NEEDS

  Critical times call for critical measures. Over the last 13 months, 
our economy has lost a total of 3.6 million jobs--and continuing job 
losses in the next few months are predicted. The national unemployment 
rate is at 7.6 percent, with the great state of Texas seeing an 
unemployment rate of 6.0 percent and my district of Houston seeing only 
a little better rate at 5.5 percent.
  Our schoolhouses are badly in need of repair and modernization in 
order to flourish and be competitive in the global marketplace. Our 
healthcare system needs to be upgraded to allow for more Americans to 
receive coverage

[[Page E506]]

without going bankrupt. Our workforce needs to be retooled to keep up 
with innovative and new technologies; and our transportation systems 
need to be expanded. These are only a fraction of the many needs facing 
Texas and our Nation today.
  In my district, I have held recent meetings with the Houston Mayor, 
school districts, universities, churches, homeowners, and the Houston 
METRO. They each have expressed their need for full funding to 
alleviate foreclosure issues, hurricane relief funding, construction 
issues, technology divides, and law enforcement strengthening.
  Recently, President Obama mentioned the Houston's need for greater 
transportation and infrastructure improvements. I thoroughly agree, 
which is why I have been working with them for over 20 years to 
complete construction of the Northeast and South RAIL lines. METRO has 
indicated that it only requires $183 million to complete this rail 
line.
  Houstonians need this infrastructure to relieve congestion and 
provide adequate public transportation, and an investment that will 
mean jobs for our constituents through the transportation sector in our 
communities. Creating this critical infrastructure in Houston will 
allow Houstonians to work and will provide a tremendous boost to 
community development and mobility.


                            OMNIBUS DETAILS

  Last year, this body passed only one of the twelve appropriations 
bills, the Military Construction-VA bill. The Senate Appropriations 
Committee approved nine of the twelve bills.
  This Omnibus represents a measure worked out by both chambers--
functionally resembling a conference report--and significantly 
increases funding levels compared to FY 2008 levels that were extended 
through March 6 by the enacted resolution, PL 110-329.
  HR 1105 appropriates $410 billion, $31 billion, 8%, more than current 
funding, in discretionary funding, which represents the largest 
percentage increase for discretionary spending in regular 
appropriations in decades. It also contains $637.5 billion in mandatory 
spending for entitlement programs, for a grand total appropriation of 
$1.048 trillion in FY 2009. The bill covers appropriations for 
departments and agencies that would have been funded by the nine 
regular FY 2009 appropriations bills that were not enacted last year. 
These departments are currently funded under a continuing resolution 
that expires on March 6.
  For our constituents who believe that we here in Congress do not 
understand their financial woes and their caps on raises and bonuses, 
let it be made clear that not only do we understand but we hold 
ourselves to the same standard. The recommended rule for the bill 
automatically incorporates a provision into the measure that blocks any 
cost-of-living increase in the salaries of members of Congress in 2010.

  This bill provides the following amounts:
  Agriculture--$108 billion for the Agriculture Department, $17.6 
billion, 16%, more than provided in FY 2008. It includes $87.8 billion, 
81%, in mandatory spending and $20.5 billion in discretionary funding. 
The total includes $54 billion for food stamps, $14 billion, 26%, more 
than current levels, as well as $2 billion for the Food and Drug 
Administration, $335 million, 16%, more than the current level, and 15% 
more for rural development programs.
  Commerce-Justice-Science--$57.9 billion, 10%, more than the current 
level, for the Commerce and Justice Departments, and science agencies. 
It includes a 16% increase in funds to assist state and local law 
enforcement agencies.
  Energy & Water--$33.8 billion for the Energy Department, Interior 
Department, Army Corps of Engineers, and related programs--$2.3 
billion, 7%, more than the current level. It provides 12% more than 
current funding for energy assistance and alternative energy research, 
but 18% less for nuclear energy and 9% less for ``clean coal'' 
projects.
  Financial Services--$44.6 billion, $58 million more than the current 
level, for the Treasury Department, the federal judiciary, the District 
of Columbia, the Executive Office of the President, and various 
independent agencies.
  Interior-Environment--$27.6 billion for Interior Department, 
Agriculture Department, Indian Health Service, Environmental Protection 
Agency, and related programs--$1 billion, 4%, more than the current 
level.
  Labor-HHS-Education--$625.7 billion, of which $152.3 billion is 
discretionary funding and $473.4 billion is mandatory spending, for the 
departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, HHS, and Education. 
The discretionary total is $7.4 billion, 5%, more than the current 
level, and includes $30.3 billion for the National Institutes of 
Health, 3% more than current funding, $15.8 billion for education for 
disadvantaged children programs, 2% more than the current level; 7% 
more for Education Department programs; and 4% more for the Centers for 
Disease Control.
  Legislative Branch--$4.4 billion for the legislative branch, $432 
million, 11%, more than the current level. This appropriation includes 
$1.3 billion for the House and $895 million for the Senate.
  State-Foreign Operations--$36.8 billion in foreign aid, State 
Department operations and export assistance, $3.8 billion, 12%, more 
than the current level. The bill provides 14% more for international 
organizations, but 43% less for the Bush administration's program to 
aid developing nations that meet certain political and economic 
standards.
  Transportation-HUD--$108.7 billion in budgetary resources for the 
Transportation Department, the Housing and Urban Development, HUD, 
Department, and five related agencies. This total includes $55 billion 
in discretionary appropriations, $6.2 billion, 13%, more than current 
funding.
  Homeland Security--$100 million for the U.S. Secret Service, 
including $61 million for Secret Service protective missions. Of that 
amount, $25 million would be for the first-year costs to hire 150 
additional special agents to meet increased presidential and vice 
presidential protection requirements. The measure also extends the 
authorization of three programs through Sept. 30, 2009 the Basic Pilot, 
E-Verify, program, the EB-5 Visa program, and the National Flood 
Insurance Program. In addition, it extends the authorization of the 
Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction 
Proliferation and Terrorism until March 1, 2010.


                               CONCLUSION

  As the representative for the 18th congressional district of Texas, I 
am very pleased that this Omnibus bill will aid people in my district 
that desperately need it. We have rail lines that need to be expanded, 
schools that are in dire need of construction, hospitals that cannot 
help the sick because of capacity issues, and areas still reeling from 
Hurricane's Katrina, Rita, and Ike.
  The assistance my district will receive is outstanding. I plan to 
continue to work with Chairman Obey and the Appropriations Committee 
staff to ensure that necessary funding goes straight to the city and 
county agencies, companies, schools, and nonprofits that need it to 
better assist the people of Houston.
  I trust that the money in this omnibus along with monies from the 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will begin to bring not only 
relief but life to our economy.

                          ____________________