[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 5]
[Senate]
[Page 6385]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     GOVERNMENT FUNDING LEGISLATION

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, later today, the House will vote to 
pass a funding agreement that advances a number of America's 
priorities, achieving important things that would not have been 
possible under the previous administration.
  Let's take the border. President Trump and the Republican Congress 
made securing the border a priority, and this funding bill acts on it. 
After years of an administration that failed to get serious on border 
security, this bill provides the largest border security funding 
increase in a decade.
  Passing this bill means updating physical border infrastructure. It 
means enhancements in surveillance technology. It means increasing 
support for border personnel. It means finally providing resources to 
end the practice of catch and release.
  On securing our border, this bill obviously makes a departure from 
the Obama years, and it is an important step forward.
  Let's take defense. President Trump and the Republican Congress made 
rebuilding our military a priority, and this funding bill acts on it. 
After years of an administration that drew down our conventional force 
structure and failed to address increasing threats across the globe, 
this bill provides a critically needed downpayment on rebuilding our 
military. Passing this bill means allowing our force to retain higher 
levels of end strength. It means funding the largest military pay raise 
in 6 years. It means replacing munitions used in the fight against 
ISIL. It means finally ignoring the Obama-era demand of requiring 
defense funding increases to be equally matched to nondefense 
increases.
  On rebuilding our military, this bill obviously makes a departure 
from the Obama years and is another important step forward. These are 
notable wins, and they wouldn't have happened without this 
administration's tireless work in conjunction with the Republican 
Congress.
  Of course, there is further to go in both areas. We know more work 
remains when it comes to strengthening our border infrastructure and 
stemming the tide of illegal immigration. We know more work remains 
when it comes to restoring our military's combat readiness and meeting 
the full needs of the force.
  But this legislation represents a step in the right direction in both 
of these areas, and it advances conservative priorities in many others. 
It adheres to the spending caps, it reforms bureaucracy, and it 
consolidates, eliminates, or rescinds funds for more than 150 
government programs and initiatives.
  It supports the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, 
which shifts control of education out of Washington, and it extends an 
important school choice program. It helps tackle terrorism, fight 
crime, support veterans, protect life, reform the IRS, and freeze 
funding for it.
  It cuts funding for the EPA, prohibits funding for President Obama's 
climate slush fund, and advances an all-of-the-above energy policy that 
prioritizes research on technical advancements in nuclear, natural gas, 
and coal power generation.
  This research funding, along with the bill's support for troubled 
coal mining communities and dislocated miners, is important for States 
like mine, as is the provision I was proud to secure that will 
permanently protect healthcare benefits for thousands of retired coal 
miners and their families.
  This bill also extends resources for a pilot program I worked with 
Congressman Hal Rogers to secure, which will fund the reclamation and 
development of abandoned mine sites.
  Moreover, this bill also provides significant new resources to tackle 
the prescription opioid and heroin epidemic that continues to ravage 
communities in Kentucky and across our country.
  The many achievements in this bill resulted from countless hours of 
committee work and bicameral negotiations. I want to recognize again 
the appropriators, our Members, and this Republican administration for 
the tireless effort that made this bill possible.
  The President and his team should be commended for their efforts in 
working with the Republican Congress to address many important needs 
for our country in this bill. I look forward to the House passing the 
bill today so that we can take it up and send it to President Trump for 
his signature soon.

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