“Communities in our districts and along the Texas Gulf Coast have waited for more than five months for Congress to pass a comprehensive relief bill aimed at funding recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. Today’s legislation will deliver $89 billion in hurricane relief for Texas and other states impacted by last year’s major disasters, allowing our communities to continue rebuilding schools, businesses, and homes that suffered severe damage last August. This disaster relief package additionally includes $15 billion for flood control projects through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The Bipartisan Budget Act will very likely be the most significant bipartisan legislation to pass Congress this year. The health and well-being of families and children we represent are among our top priorities. By extending and increasing funding for critical programs like community health centers for the next two years, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) for the next 10 years, and Medicaid provisions that allow our rural hospitals to continue to provide critical access to healthcare, we can give our constituents certainty that they have access to reliable and affordable healthcare – no matter their socioeconomic status. Families should never have to receive letters from the state informing them that they might lose their healthcare coverage.
Additionally, the funding for our military in The Bipartisan Budget Act will help address critical shortfalls in US Navy readiness, such as the tragic USS John S. McCain and USS Fitzgerald collisions, the latter of which resulted in the death of Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Noe Hernandez, a South Texas native.
The funding portion of the Bipartisan Budget Act excludes border wall funding, signifying a victory for Texans along the US-Mexico border. We will continue to push so that landowners along the southern border can keep their property safe from seizure by the federal government.
Our views align with those of a majority of Americans who favor protections for DREAMers and we will not give up until the Republican majority opens debate on a permanent fix for DACA recipients. It is our hope that we can address immigration legislation in a fair, bipartisan manner and give certainty to our DREAMers.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
