As the House considers H.R. 2740, the Department of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2020, NTU urges all Representatives to support initiatives that reduce expenditures, eliminate waste, increase efficiency, reduce regulatory burdens, and otherwise uphold free market principles.
To that end, NTU urges a “YES” vote on the following amendments in Division A:
Amd. 35, (#24) Grothman (R-WI): This amendment would reduce spending in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education sections (Division A) of the underlying “Minibus” by a modest 4.5 percent. With record debt and trillion dollar deficits once again on the horizon, it is important that legislators take every opportunity to demonstrate both the willingness and ability to rein in spending.
Amd. 37, (#27) Hill (R-AR): This amendment would transfer $90 million from the Affordable Care Act navigator program to the National Institute of Mental Health. This amendment would effectively defund this ineffective program used to promote enrollment in Obamacare.
Amd. 42, (#150) Banks (R-IN): This amendment would reduce spending in the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education sections (Division A) of the underlying “Minibus” by a significant 14 percent. Cutting the funding in Division A by 14 percent would translate into tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer savings. **This amendment vote will be significantly weighted in NTU’s yearly Congressional ratings.**
In addition, NTU urges all Representatives to vote “NO” on the following amendments in Division A:
Amd. 3, (#168) Raskin (D-MD) and DeSaulnier (D-CA): This amendment would appropriate $5 million to the National Institutes of Health’s Buildings and Facilities account. This increased spending is not offset by commensurate spending reductions elsewhere.
Amd. 4, (#64) Shalala (D-FL): This amendment would increase funding for refugee and entrant assistance by $10 million. This increased spending is not offset by commensurate spending reductions elsewhere.
Amd. 36, (#56) Castor (D-FL), Underwood (D-IL), Barragan (D-CA), DeSaulnier (D-CA), Spanberger (D-VA), and Moore (D-WI): This amendment would prohibit any funds from this legislation to be used to implement the Trump administration’s short-term limited duration insurance rule. These health plans provide a more free market oriented alternative to Obamacare and offer insurance for those in need of coverage while transitioning between jobs. **This amendment vote will be significantly weighted in NTU’s yearly Congressional ratings.**
Amd. 41, (#34) Richmond (D-LA): This amendment would increase funding for maternal and child health accounts by $7 million without providing any spending offsets.
Amd. 68, (#103) Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL): This amendment would increase funding to HHS’s Minority AIDS Initiative Fund by $5 million without providing any spending offsets.
NTU also recommends a “NO” vote on the following amendments in Division C:
Amd. 33, (#24) Kuster (D-NH) and Pappas (D-NH): This amendment would increase military spending by $12 million to upgrade submarine operating systems. This additional spending is not offset by commensurate spending reductions elsewhere
Amd 46, (#35) Panetta (D-CA): This amendment would increase funding for Navy research by $8 million without providing offsets in order to be deficit neutral. Additionally, the underlying legislation provides more than $100 billion for military research, development, testing, and evaluation.
Amd 61, #73 Cox (D-CA): This amendment would increase spending by $20 million, while only providing $10 million in offsets, thereby adding $10 million to the deficit.
NTU also recommends a “YES” vote on the following amendments in Division D:
Amd. 2, (#1) Allen (R-GA): This amendment would enact a 1 percent spending cut in the State and Foreign Operations Section (Division D) of the underlying legislation, thereby saving taxpayers more than $500 million in direct savings.
Amd. 87, (#7) Grothman (R-WI): This amendment would reduce spending in the State and Foreign Operation sections (Division D) of the underlying “Minibus” by a modest 2.1 percent.
Amd. 89, (#27) Walker (R-NC): This amendment would eliminate funding for the bilateral economic assistance and independent agency programs within the Department of State, thereby saving taxpayers nearly $20 billion annually.
NTU also recommends a “YES” vote on the following amendments in Division E:
Amd. 63, (#6) Burgess (R-TX): This amendment would reduce spending in the Energy and Water Development section (Division E) of the underlying “Minibus” by 5 percent. During a time of record debt and looming funding crises, it is important that legislators take every opportunity now to demonstrate both the willingness and ability to rein in spending, even to a modest degree.