[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 79 (Thursday, June 6, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E824]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2014

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                               speech of

                             HON. PAUL RYAN

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 5, 2013

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 2217) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for 
     the fiscal year ending September 3, 2014, and for other 
     purposes:

  Mr. RYAN of Wisconsin. Mr. Chair, I want to commend the Chairman of 
the Appropriations Committee and the members of the Committee for 
producing bills that meet the current law limit on appropriations of 
$967 billion. The one area of the budget where we are exercising real 
fiscal discipline is discretionary spending and Chairman Rogers and the 
Committee are to be commended for bringing about that result. The 
Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2014 
(H.R. 2217) funds critical programs that promote the safety and 
security of the United States. In total, the bill provides $44.6 
billion of discretionary funding for the operations of the Department 
of Homeland Security. While the majority of this funding is provided in 
accordance with the budget resolution adopted by the House of 
Representatives, $5.6 billion is provided in excess of the levels 
anticipated by the budget resolution using the disaster relief 
exception to the normal budget rules. We should be budgeting for these 
expenses and not adding funding through cap adjustments that provide 
funding in excess of the limits on discretionary spending. Congress 
should afford disaster relief the priority it deserves within the 
budget. Notwithstanding my objections to the use of this budget 
loophole, on balance, I believe this bill is worthy of support.

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