Press Releases

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) today issued the following statement after supporting the omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2017, which passed the House of Representatives on a 309-118 vote:

“While this bill is certainly a compromise, I am relieved to see some of the critical investments I have fought for included, such as increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and opioid abuse diversion programs,” DelBene said. “I voted for this bill because these strategic investments help families, support thousands of jobs and contribute billions of dollars to our economy, making communities in Washington state and around the nation stronger.

“Luckily, negotiators were also able to prevent the inclusion of dangerous proposals in this must-pass legislation, like defunding Planned Parenthood and wasting billions of taxpayer dollars on a border wall that we don’t need. But unfortunately, this bill only funds the government through September, leaving mere months before another potential spending fight. As a member of the House Budget Committee, I hope we can end this inefficient cycle of governing from crisis to crisis, and provide the certainty that families and businesses desperately need to succeed. As a businesswoman, I know that budgeting in fits and starts is no way to compete, and will leave us with much bigger costs in the long term.”

DelBene led a bipartisan group of more than 160 House members in urging the House Appropriations Committee to provide a historic $2 billion increase for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which was included in the omnibus. It also includes $103 million for Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) grants, including DelBene’s authorization for community-based substance use diversion programs, as well as her amendment protecting manufacturing jobs in Blaine, Washington.

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