Tom Cole

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Chairman, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner), my very good friend and classmate.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Chair, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Chair, I begin by, number one, thanking my very good friend, the ranking member of the full committee. As I said in my opening statement, this is a process, and we are a long way into the process now, thanks, in large part, to her efforts and certainly the efforts of the ranking members and chairs of the two committees whose legislative work we are considering today. It is important to recognize that these bills together reduce funding. They actually reduce funding. A CR would actually cost us more. They also update, refine, and change language in some cases that is 2 and 3 years old and is simply out of date with the current circumstances. If we were to fail to pass these bills in these respective areas, then that language would remain intact. I think it is important to recognize that we were able to come to agreements in this way simply because we have a common commitment to a set of principles and a process that really isn't partisan in nature. I know my friend, Ms. DeLauro, and I know her colleagues believe very much in the Article I power of Congress. We assert that power by passing appropriations bills. I commend my friends for working with us to do that. I know my friends also believe very deeply in the importance and the power of the Appropriations Committee. So do I. The fact is, we know that to get our job done, at the end of the day, it is going to have to be bipartisan and bicameral. A lot of people are going to have to move or give up some things that they feel very strongly about for the greater good of making sure that the Government of the United States is appropriately funded. We do it in a way that, again, as my good friend Mr. Hoyer said, it is not the bill any of us would have written individually, but the point is, it is a collaborative effort of give and take that has produced something that the vast majority of us can and will vote for today. This is eight bills into this process. We have a big job in the few days ahead of us till the end of the month, but I share my friend the ranking member's confidence that we can get that job done and that we can be back here and find a way to put all these bills in front of this Chamber for their consideration and also pass them and make sure the Government of the United States is funded on a bipartisan, bicameral basis through the balance of this fiscal year. Mr. Chair, I share my friend's pride in the product in front of us. I know if she got to write it all by herself, it would look a little bit different. She knows if I got to write it all by myself, it would look different. The point is, this is one we got to write together with give and take, and I am very proud that this committee got every one of its bills out of committee, sat down and worked with our colleagues in the other Chamber on both sides of the aisle, and has produced a product that we know we have broad consensus on. Mr. Chair, I will end by commending all those involved. My friend, Ms. DeLauro, always makes a point of how important the staff is in this process, and that is absolutely true. While a lot of people were celebrating the holidays, and appropriately so, that wasn't true if you worked on the Appropriations staff, unless you were one of the lucky three that got their bills done last year. They had a merry Christmas. Everybody else was working through the Christmas holidays to produce these products. It is enormously complex. There is a lot of work involved, an extraordinary amount of work for the staff. I share my friend's pride in their efforts and gratitude for their success. Mr. Chair, I urge the passage of H.R. 7006. I will also remind everyone that it is not quite done. We have a lot to do in the next few days ahead of us, but this helps set the precedent, helps move the process along, and gives us a much better chance of success as we deal with these final, critical bills. It will make sure that we both avoid a shutdown and give the American people assurance that the government will be functional, operational, and working in a bipartisan, bicameral process between now and September 30 of this year. Mr. Chair, I urge the passage of the legislation before us, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Chair, I move that the Committee do now rise.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the question of retaining a portion of the bill on H.R. 6938 may be subject to postponement as though under clause 8 of rule XX.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, Pursuant to House Resolution 977, I call up the bill (H.R. 6938) making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Mr. COLE. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 6938, a three-bill package covering the Commerce, Justice, Science; Energy and Water Development; and Interior and Environment appropriations measures for fiscal year 2026. These bills are the product of bipartisan, bicameral consensus and are grounded in a Member-driven process. As I stand here today, I think of the genius of our Founding Fathers. They designed Congress to be an engine of thoughtful and deliberative policymaking. It wasn't meant to be easy. In fact, difficulty is what separates serious legislating from political performance. In her 250 years, America has never shied away from hard work, nor does the Appropriations Committee in carrying out our constitutional responsibilities for fiscal year 2026. Even after the longest government shutdown in history, political obstruction, and tough deadlines, we remained resolute and took responsible steps forward to restore regular order. I am proud to say we have ended the cycle of pork-filled omnibuses decided at the last minute. Just as importantly, we have been turning America First priorities into action. President Trump set a critical foundation by signing three appropriations bills into law in November, and we are carrying that momentum forward today. The measure before us keeps us on track to complete all 12 appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026. With passage of these three bills, we will provide full-year funding for many of our most critical programs. We prioritize public safety by supporting law enforcement and stopping the flow of fentanyl into our communities. We advance American strength by unleashing energy dominance, securing critical minerals, and investing in nuclear power. We uphold stewardship by protecting public lands, supporting wildland firefighters, ensuring responsible resource management, and fulfilling our obligations to our Tribal nations. All of this is achieved while cutting waste and keeping total fiscal year `26 spending below the current continuing resolution. These results are not accidental. They are by design, and they are the result of the hard work of our subcommittee chairmen, Hal Rogers, Mike Simpson, and Chuck Fleischmann. Thanks to their leadership, good will, attention to detail, and strong relationships with their negotiating partners, the power of the purse is, once again, being exercised by lawmakers through the committee process, as Article I intended. To their accompanying ranking members, Grace Meng, Chellie Pingree, and Marcy Kaptur, I thank them for their partnership and collaboration, which was instrumental to this effort. As I look ahead to today's action, Republicans are strongest when they are focused; Democrats are more effective when they negotiate in good faith; and the country is better off when Republicans and Democrats work together. In its Statement of Administrative Policy on this package, the White House said, in part: ``The administration urges every Member of Congress to support this fiscally responsible bill, which is a win for the American taxpayer.'' Not surprisingly, I completely agree. I look forward to enacting these full-year appropriations and taking every action to complete our work. With that, Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Rogers), who is the distinguished chairman of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, the chairman emeritus of the full committee, and the dean of the House.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Idaho (Mr. Simpson), chairman of the Interior-Environment Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee and my very good friend.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Idaho.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Fleischmann), my very good friend and distinguished chairman of the Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Subcommittee of Appropriations.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cloud), my very good friend and the distinguished vice chairman of the Energy and Water and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Texas.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Franklin).

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Alford), my very good friend.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Strong), my very good friend and distinguished vice chairman of the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to close, and I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. Mr. Speaker, I will begin by recognizing the hard work of my distinguished ranking member and my very good friend, Ms. DeLauro from Connecticut. We have had the opportunity to work together for a long time in a variety of capacities, and I particularly appreciate the cooperation, the bipartisanship, and the professionalism that she and her whole staff always show when we sit down. To paraphrase my friend, if they would just leave us alone, we will get this job done. I could not have a better working partner than my good friend from Connecticut. I am very proud that this bill is, as my friend said, bipartisan. This has been in negotiation at every level, and the ranking member and I have worked hard to push the decisionmaking down to the subcommittee levels as much as we possibly can. I know we have both told our respective chairmen and ranking members: ``Hey, if you don't send us anything up, you are making us happy. We want you to make the decisions.'' The members of the subcommittees know the subject matter better than anybody else. They have done the hearings. They have done the work. They work well. The higher up the food chain it goes, frankly, the more political the decisions become and the less informed. Let the people who have actually done the work write the bills. In this case, in these three and the three preceding bills, that is exactly what happened, and I couldn't be more pleased with that result. I would be remiss not to build on a remark my friend, Ms. McCollum, made in her speech. I am very proud of this bill on Native-American issues, which have been a bipartisan priority over the years. I am proud of all of my cardinals and all of my ranking members, but particularly the relationship between Mr. Simpson and Ms. Pingree, which we have seen on this committee before, and my friend, Ms. McCollum, who also has chaired this subcommittee earlier in her career. As a matter of fact, we worked together on the matter that she mentioned in terms of forward-funding for Indian healthcare. It has just been a pleasure in these areas where we have so much in common and a common commitment to fulfill our trust obligations. I, for one, am very proud of the community projects in this bill. It allows the Members, not just on our committee, but across the entire Congress, to do things that they think are important for their constituents. They are the best people to make that judgment because they represent them in the House. My friend, again, Ms. DeLauro, has worked over the years to build a system that will make sure that these things are used appropriately, honestly, and openly. We continue to work together on that matter. Again, I am very proud of her. Mr. Speaker, I want to join every other speaker today, which is unusual in a very partisan-polarized era, to urge the passage of this bill. We have worked together. We have worked in good faith. We have worked effectively. We have actually cut spending in these bills collectively. I think we have a common commitment to get the most out of our tax dollars. I think this is a three-bill package, as the previous three-bill package was, that Members of this body can be proud of, should point to, and should celebrate. When we have bipartisan, bicameral cooperation and work together, we can get the job done and do a great job for the American people. I share my good friend Ms. DeLauro's opinion in this case, that is exactly what we did. Mr. Speaker, I urge support for the bill and urge its passage. I urge my colleagues to support this, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, obviously like all of us here, I am here to pay tribute to our dear departed friend, Doug LaMalfa. I first got to know Doug before I ever met him because I had so many Indian Tribes from California calling me, saying that we have got this great guy running for the House of Representatives who we know from the State legislature in California. He cares about who we are, represents our interests, and understands the trust responsibility. American Indians, Native Americans, had no better friend in the House of Representatives than Doug LaMalfa. Then as I got to know him as a person in addition to a political figure, I understood why people were so attracted to him: the sheer decency of the man, the sheer authenticity of the man, and, frankly, the happy warrior style that he approached every single issue with. I don't think I have ever been so shocked in my life when I learned that we had lost him because I knew he was coming back to fight the good fight for the things in which he believed, the State which he loved, and the institution which he cherished. I will add my voice to the many voices tonight that remind America that we lost a great American, we lost a great Californian, and we lost a great human being. My prayers are with Jill and the family. My thoughts are with his constituents because they lost somebody who each and every day came to this floor determined to advance their interest, to protect their values, and to make this country stronger and better. Mr. Speaker, I will miss Doug LaMalfa, but I will miss what he stands for and what he fought for and how he represented those things more than anything else.

Mr. COLE

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 873, I call up the bill (H.R. 5371) making continuing appropriations and extensions for fiscal year 2026, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I have a motion at the desk.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the measure under consideration.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Continuing Appropriations, Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026. History reminds us, Mr. Speaker, that shutdowns never change the outcome. The only cost is paid by the American people. Over the last 43 days, the facts did not shift, the votes required did not shift, and the path forward did not change. The only thing that did move was the level of pain Democrats inflicted on the Nation. For 6 long weeks, Americans have paid the price for a shutdown they neither caused nor deserved. The pain has been all too real for far too many Americans, including families struggling without paychecks, seniors on the brink of hunger with food assistance lapsed, airports in chaos, and communities bracing as programs that they rely on were stalled or stopped altogether. With yesterday being Veterans Day, we especially reflect on the impact of this shutdown on those who served our Nation past and present. Our military families were left wondering if they would be paid. Thanks to President Trump, they were. Yet, this is not how the greatest Nation in the world should function. Today that changes. The legislation before us reopens the government, restores critical services, and puts an end to the needless hardship Democrats have inflicted on the country. This bill supports our troops. It pays Federal workers. It fully funds SNAP benefits until September 30 of next year. It compensates our air traffic controllers right before a busy holiday season. In fact, it takes a holistic approach in ensuring Federal services and programs are operational. In the simplest terms, we are putting the government back to work for our people. The bill is fundamentally the same responsible approach House Republicans offered on September 19, but with an important addition: three full-year appropriations bills for FY26. These bipartisan, bicameral, full-year appropriations bills cover the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs; Legislative Branch; Agriculture, Rural Development; and Food and Drug Administration divisions. Once passed, we will have full-year funding in place for many of our most crucial programs. Military construction needs will be met for a full year, as will medical programs for our Nation's veterans. The legislative branch will be properly resourced, including critical funding enhancements for the Capitol Police and for Member security. Agriculture, food and nutrition programs like WIC and SNAP will be fully funded to help vulnerable people in need. Importantly, this legislation delivers Member-driven community project funding in both the military construction and agriculture divisions, which will direct resources back into the hands of the communities we represent. This was a top priority for the Appropriations Committee, and we achieved it while holding overall spending levels in check. It is a responsible appropriations progress like this that causes me to reflect on an important message to our friends in the Democratic leadership. My sincere apologies to Minority Leaders Jeffries and Schumer, but after today they will no longer get to hold the government hostage, and they will not get to force a rushed, pork-filled Christmas omnibus at the end of the year. Republicans have actively restored a responsible, line-by-line process. Over the next few months, we will continue this work and efforts through regular order. This Article I advancement is an accomplishment that every Member of this Chamber can be proud of regardless of party. Yet some still need to decide what they stand for today. To my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, do they want the leverage or do they want to legislate? Do they treat Americans as collateral damage or as constituents, and do they answer to their caucus or their country? For Republicans, the answer has been clear for the last 43 days. We have and we will continue to put Americans first. Democrats can join us. They have an opportunity to make the responsible choice to reopen our government and pass three official full-year appropriations bills. Mr. Speaker, eight Senate Democrats saw reason and did exactly that. I hope House Democrats do the same. True courage is taking responsible action for the Nation even when politics makes it inconvenient. Let's reopen the government and get back to work. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Scalise), our distinguished majority leader.