Cole Applauds Passage of Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) released the following statement after the House passed H.R. 244, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017. It passed by a vote of 309-118. This legislation will fully fund the federal government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2017.

"Congress has fulfilled its fundamental responsibility to fund our government and its agencies, as well as avoid a government shutdown," said Cole. "It is the first successful bicameral, bipartisan negotiation of the Trump Administration that has had broad support.

"This bill includes a $25 billion increase in defense spending which will allow us to maintain a strong military with the highest levels of readiness, as well as $1.5 billion for additional border security and increases for the National Institutes of Health.

"Also included in this bill are provisions to deconstruct the job-killing policies of the last eight years, as well as spending cuts that eliminate burdensome regulatory programs.

"I'm pleased that we were able to reach a bipartisan consensus and hope that this working relationship continues into the negotiations for the appropriations process for Fiscal Year 2018," concluded Cole.

For information on the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, please click here.