WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Austin Scott (GA-08), a member of the House Armed Services Committee (HASC), released the below statement upon President Donald Trump signing into law the Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 6157 – Department of Defense (DOD) and Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), and Education Appropriations Act, 2019 and Continuing Appropriations Act. This Conference Report, which passed the House on Wednesday night, marks the first time in many years that the DOD will be funded on time.

“For the first time in nearly a decade, our military will receive on-time funding that provides for the needs of today while preparing for the threats of tomorrow,” said Rep. Scott. “I am very proud of the work we have done in the House to ensure not just the Department of Defense, but also the Departments of Health and Human Services, Education, Labor, and Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs receive their funding on-time and without the constraints of short-term spending measures.”

Rep. Scott continued: “In a partisan and deeply divided Washington, the passage and Presidential signature of this appropriations package is no small measure and shows that Congress is working together to accomplish good work for the American people.”

“As we worked through the defense appropriations process this year, Rep. Austin Scott was key to pushing through provisions to fully fund the B-21s, along with allocating funds for C-130 modernizations, A-10C re-winging, F-15 EPAWSS production kits, and the STARBASE Youth Program in Warner Robins, Georgia,” said House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee Chairwoman Kay Granger (TX-12). “I thank Rep. Scott for his commitment to providing much-needed resources for our military, and I look forward to his continued support for our national defense and our men and women in uniform.”

Defense provisions include:

• Signed funding package provides the first time in 10 years DOD won’t operate under a Continuing Resolution
• $674.4 billion for the Department of Defense – consistent with the FY19 NDAA
  • $67.9 billion in OCO to support ongoing operations
• Fully funds a 2.6% pay raise – the largest in 9 years – and increases total troop end strength
• $243.2 billion in Operations and Maintenance to support readiness programs and to train our forces to counter the threats to our national security
• $148 billion to procure additional ships, aircraft, tanks, weapons and other platforms to ensure our troops have the resources they need
• Increases funding for research, missile defense, and defense health programs
• Continues support for the Israel Missile Defense programs
• Provides crucial funding to our partners in the Middle East to counter-ISIS and support for Ukraine to resist Russian aggression

Labor, HHS, and Education provisions include:

• $178 billion - $1 billion above FY18 – for medical research, education, and job training
• $90 billion for HHS, of which $39 billion goes to National Institute of Health (NIH) to increase critical research initiatives, including the Cancer Moonshot, Alzheimer’s research, and pediatric cancer research initiative
• Nearly $7 billion to fight the opioid epidemic and funds activities authorized under 21st Century Cures Act
  • $228 million above FY18 and includes $1.5 billion in state opioid response grants
• Includes $3.5 billion for job training and $300 million for Veterans Employment Training Services
• Increases funding for special education, Pell Grants, Impact Aid, charter schools
• Maintains all existing pro-life provisions

Other highlights include:

• Makes available an additional $8.8 billion for the victims of Hurricane Florence
• Maintains all current pro-life policy provisions included in the Agriculture, CJS, FSGG, and SFOPs appropriations bills

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