[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6435-6436]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         OMNIBUS SPENDING BILL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kentucky (Mr. Comer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. COMER. Madam Speaker, I rise to address the body about my 
position on the omnibus spending bill, which funds the government 
through September 30.
  This spending bill does nothing to accomplish my mission to balance 
the Federal budget, today or any time in the future. I do not like the 
appropriation process and its lack of transparency in how we got to 
this point today. I do not like the lack of meaningful debate, nor do I 
like the inability to file floor amendments to the spending bill. It is 
inexcusable that Congress continues to wait until the last minute to 
perform its most important duty, which is to fund the government.
  I am a freshman Member. I came to Congress to make a difference. I 
represent the good people of the First Congressional District of 
Kentucky, not a political party or any special interest. I will always 
put my people's best interests above politics. My objective is to fight 
hard for what I believe is the best for my district and then form a 
consensus to get things done.
  Madam Speaker, I understand that I am 1 of 435 Members of the U.S. 
House of Representatives. And as I always mention in speeches back home 
in Kentucky, this is a very diverse body, diverse in ideology, diverse 
in geography. We all have different ideas, objectives, and goals. I 
respect this institution and the Constitution.
  In the 5 months I have been here, I have advocated for a balanced 
budget and term limits; and I will continue to fight to see that those 
two items of my agenda become law.
  I have also worked hard to see that some badly needed projects in my 
district receive funding. I am proud to say that the following projects 
are funded in this bill: $270 million for the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion 
Plant deactivation process, which will keep 1,200 West Kentuckians 
working in good-paying jobs and continue to prevent illness and 
environmental issues in McCracken and Ballard Counties.
  I am proud to represent Fort Campbell. The bill provides a pay 
increase for our troops and fully funds health and benefits for them 
and their families while providing the funding to begin rebuilding our 
military; language to redesignate the Pennyrile Parkway as I-169 from 
south of Madisonville to Hopkinsville; funding for much-needed dredging 
of the Hickman-Fulton Riverport, which is located just off the 
Mississippi River; language which prohibits the Army Corps of Engineers 
from charging the residents of Russell and Clinton Counties for water 
from Lake Cumberland; and a permanent fix to ensure healthcare benefits 
for retired coal miners.
  Though I am disappointed in many parts of the overall bill and the 
appropriations process as a whole, I am very happy with the badly 
needed items successfully addressed for my district in this short-term 
funding bill. For that reason and because I do not ever want to see a 
government shutdown, I will vote ``yes'' on the short-term omnibus.
  I will continue to work hard for conservative principles and fiscal 
discipline. I will continue to demand transparency through the 
appropriations process. I came here to get things done for the people 
of my district. I am sure I will never get 100 percent of what I want, 
but I will always try. At the end of the day, I will try to build 
consensus and do the things that Congress is supposed to get done, 
whether it be tax reform, healthcare reform, or to fund the government.

[[Page 6436]]

  We have many responsibilities in this great body, and I pledge to be 
one Representative who works with our President and every Member of 
this body to make America great again.

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