Cole Votes in Favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Olivia Porcaro 202-225-6165
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04), Vice Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, released the following statement after voting in favor of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, which is a package of six appropriations bills for the Fiscal Year 2024:
“In recent years, government spending has soared, resulting in skyrocketing national debt and higher inflation. However, today, after months of negotiations, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 passed the House, which will change the trajectory of government spending in Washington,” said Congressman Cole. “This appropriations package is a huge Republican win, as it makes essential overall spending cuts, while at the same time keeps our commitment to our veterans, prioritizes our national security and military construction, preserves funding for America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities, addresses the weaponization of the growing bureaucracy, maintains support for law enforcement, upholds our nation’s nuclear defense posture, preserves housing assistance for the most vulnerable, and much more.”
“I am very proud of the difficult work that Republican leadership and House Appropriations Chairwoman Granger have done to get this package passed today. The alternative of these bills, a full year continuing resolution, is unacceptable, as it would simply carry forward Fiscal Year 2023 priorities set by House Democrats, the Democratic Senate, and the Biden Administration. This year, House Republicans had a seat at the Appropriations negotiating table, and the results are clear – a funding package that makes targeted cuts to wasteful programs and smart investments in the American people,” said Congressman Cole.
Key Provisions of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024:
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2024
- Fully funds veterans’ health care programs.
- $2 billion higher than President Biden’s budget request for military construction.
- Protects the gun rights of veterans.
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2024
- Addresses foreign ownership of American agricultural land.
- Maintains essential investments in rural broadband and rural water infrastructure.
- Provides sufficient resources to ensure the safety of food, drugs, and medical devices.
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2024
- Reduces funding for the EPA by nearly 10 percent.
- Cuts the Biden Administration’s Environmental Justice Budget Request by $275 million.
- Rejects provisions from President Biden’s budget request that would have reduced domestic energy production, driven up oil and gas prices, and increased dependence on foreign oil.
- Protects public access for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on federal lands.
- Exempts farmers and livestock producers from burdensome greenhouse gas requirements.
Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act of 2024
- Cuts $3.234 billion from the FY23 enacted levels across 19 DOT and HUD grant programs that have been recklessly overfunded by Democrats in recent years.
- Provides essential funding to the FAA to make our airspace safer and more secure, as well as mitigate flight delays.
- Secures support for the DOT’s rail and highway safety programs, which are essential to reducing roadway accidents and train derailments.
- Maintains housing for America’s most vulnerable citizens, like the elderly, disabled, and our veterans.
- Limits the Administration’s regulatory agenda and denies their request to expand the HUD bureaucracy.
- Historic gains in traditionally underfunded Native American housing and transportation programs.
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2024
- Addresses the weaponization of the growing bureaucracy within the FBI and ATF by reducing their funding.
- Maintains support for law enforcement and expands their efforts to combat human trafficking.
- Increases the DEA’s funding to expand its effort to combat fentanyl.
- Prohibits the DOJ from targeting or investigating parents who exercise the right to free speech at school board meetings.
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2024
- Upholds our nation’s nuclear deterrence posture.
- Reduces reliance on foreign sources of critical materials by maintaining support for domestic production.
Oklahoma Specific Provisions/ Congressman Cole Priorities
- $6 million for Frederick Hospital Construction.
- $1.98 million for the City of Chickasha Flood Mitigation Regional Detention Facility Construction.
- $3 million for the City of Moore for Sewage Lift Station Construction.
- $5 million for the City of Norman for Water Treatment Plant Centrifuge Replacement.
- $1.125 million for the Lawton Public Utilities Authority for Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements.
- $1.125 million for the City of Ada for Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion.
- $2 million for the Waurika Public Works Authority for Water Treatment Plant Improvements.
- $36.5 million for Max Westheimer Airport Improvements.
- $29 million for the I-35 Interchange and Widening in McClain County.
- $5.5 million for Newport Road Grade, Drain, and Resurface Reconstruction Project.
- $3 million for Midwest City for Industrial Rail Spur Development.
- $4.5 million for Pontotoc Technology Center for Facility Expansion and Improvements.
- $4.5 million for the Town of Stonewall for Road and Sewer System Improvements.
- $5.8 million for Tinker Air Force Base F-35 Aircraft Oxygen Shop Planning and Design.
- $78 million for the Department of the Air Force KC-46 3-Bay Depot Maintenance Hangar at Tinker Air Force Base to enable required depot maintenance for the CK-46A Pegasus Aerial Refueling Aircraft.
- $7 million for 1994 Land-Grant Institutions of which Oklahoma is home to the College of Muscogee Nation in Okmulgee, OK.
- $35 million for the Watershed and Flood Prevention Operations. There are over 2,000 watersheds in Oklahoma that provide flood prevention and water quality protection.
- $8 million for water and wastewater disposal technical assistance and training grants for rural communities.
- Maintains level funding for Extension Programs at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture to support universities such as Oklahoma State University and Langston University in Oklahoma.
- Maintains funding for the DOJ to ensure all McGirt-related needs are funded at no less than FY23 enacted levels.
- $30 million for the National Mesonet Program.
- $5 million for Office of Native American Business Development.
- $8 million for Risk Based Data Management System to ensure safe drinking water reserves.
- $18 million for the Department of Energy’s Distributed Wind Energy program, which is an increase of $5 million. Oklahoma ranks third among states in the amount of electricity it generates from wind.
- No less than $455.97 million for inland water ways construction for the Army Corps of Engineers, including $57.6 million for operations and maintenance of MKARNS.
- $62 million for tribal justice needs relating to the McGirt decision.
- Report language directing the Bureau of Indian Affairs to work with Administration for Children and Families on improving state agencies’ compliance with the Indian Child Welfare Act.
- $63.12 million for Climate Adaptation Science Centers, of which the South-Central Region location is housed at the University of Oklahoma.
- $1.37 billion for Bureau of Indian Education, including $234 million for construction, and $87.9 million for Tribal Colleges and Universities.
- $6.962 billion for the Indian Health Service, maintaining advanced appropriations of $5.19 billion.
- Maintains level funding for Urban Indian Health Organizations and Tribal Epidemiology Centers.
- Maintains level funding for Public Safety and Justice, Tribal Justice Support, and the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Tribal Public Safety Initiative within the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
- Includes important language directing BIA to examine pay disparities among law enforcement, firefighters, and teachers in relation to tribal law enforcement, tribal firefighters, and tribal educators and how that may impact retention and retainment issues.
- $12.730 billion to fully fund air traffic control operations and allow the FAA to hire 1,800 air traffic controllers to replace the retiring workforce.
- $3.191 billion for facilities and equipment, which is $246 million above the FY23 enacted level.
- Fully funds the Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center, including $19 million for additional training facilities, and $6 million for the development of vertiports at the center.
- Support for the Tribal Transportation program, including an additional $150 million in discretionary appropriations.
- $75 million for the Department of Housing and Urban Development Indian Community Development Block Grant.
- $1.111 billion for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Indian Housing Block Grant formula program, which is a historic over 40% increase.
- $1.5 million for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Indian Housing Loan Guarantee fund, to support $1.8 billion in guaranteed loans.
- $1 million for the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Title VI loan guarantee program, to support $50 million in loan guarantees.
- $7.5 million for Tribal HUD-VASH vouchers.
- $10 million for Counter-UAS research, development, testing, and evaluation.
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