Consolidated Appropriations for 2016

Today, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) praised Eastern Washington priorities in the consolidated appropriations bill to fund the federal government for the coming year. This bipartisan deal includes many initiatives McMorris Rodgers has led, including keeping communities safe from wildfires, stopping burdensome regulations, supporting rural counties, and investing in cures for diseases.

On Forests: “Washington State experienced devastating fires in 2014 and 2015. For 2016, we secured the greatest investment in decades to fight fires and make our forests healthy,” McMorris Rodgers said. “I will continue to push for solutions to help firefighters and preserve healthier forests for generations to come.”

Note: McMorris Rodgers is leading an effort to improve the way we manage forest health and protect rural communities from wildfires. Legislation she helped author passed the U.S. House this year. She has authored op-eds in The Spokesman-Review and The Seattle Times.

On Cures: “Innovation and discovery should be accelerated; treatments should be quickly available; and we should be curing diseases here in the United States,” McMorris Rodgers said. “This agreement bolsters our investment in future cures and prioritizes cancer and Alzheimer’s research.”

Note: This deal supplies additional resources to for the National Institute of Health (NIH) to cure cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. NIH funding is used by researchers at Washington State University and the University of Washington. McMorris Rodgers authored six major provisions of the bipartisan 21^st Century Cures package that passed the House earlier this year.

 The agreement encourages the NIH to explore the molecular, cellular, and physiological mechanisms that predestine individuals born with a third copy of human chromosome 21 (trisomy 21) to either live with—or be protected from—a range of diseases that cause nearly 60 percent of deaths today in the U.S. The agreement requests that NIH submit a report within one year of enactment of this Act to the Committees on Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Senate on the feasibility of a multi-year study of children and adults with trisomy 21.

On Obamacare Regulations: “In their current form, Obamacare’s menu labeling regulations are fundamentally impractical and unnecessarily expensive,” McMorris Rodgers said.  “While our bipartisan legislative solution continues to advance through Congress, I am pleased that this unworkable rule will be delayed at least one year.”

Note: This deal delays by one year the flawed 400-page menu labeling rule from Obamacare. McMorris Rodgers authored bipartisan legislation to fix this regulation, it passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee in November. The deal also repeals broken Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements that would hurt farmers and ranchers in Eastern Washington.

On Security: “The men and women who serve in our military risk their lives to protect our freedom, and we must support them and their families,” McMorris Rodgers said. “I am honored to represent Fairchild Air Force Base and will continue doing everything I can to support the airmen, guard, and reserves who serve there.”

Note: This deal pays our troops and provides them with the resources and equipment they need to protect our national security and keep Americans safe. Additionally, the KC-46 Tanker modernization project funding is on track.

On 2016: “Under the new leadership of Speaker Ryan, we’ve continued our work to return power to every family, worker, parent, and student with meaningful reforms to education, energy, transportation, and issues of national security – taking the government off autopilot and paving the way for a productive 2016,” McMorris Rodgers said.

“While our work is far from finished, we’ve opened up the process and made great strides in promoting and advancing the American people’s priorities through their elected representatives. In 2016, we will continue opening this country to the future and empowering every man, woman, and child to pursue their version of the American dream, regardless of their background or walk of life.”