Each year, as Congress works through the appropriations process, the term "regular order" is often used. Regular order means the House and Senate both passing 12 individual bills to fund the various branches and agencies that make up the federal government instead of one massive omnibus spending bill at the end of the year. Thanks to the leadership of the House Appropriations Committee, the House has been getting back on track to pass all 12 appropriations bills before the September deadline.
This week, the House voted on the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Bill for Fiscal Year 2019, authored by Subcommittee Chairman Tom Graves, from Georgia. This bill includes many important priorities for Missourians, including the protection of life, funding for tax reform, critical financial reforms, funding to fight the opioid epidemic and even funding to bolster national security.
Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have always supported pro-life causes and voted in support of pro-life legislation. This bill ensures federal and local funds, including those from the Federal Employee Health Benefits program, are prohibited from being used for abortion.
With one in three Missouri families affected by the opioid crisis, I was thankful for Graves' inclusion of vital funding for federal drug control programs, including the High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HITA) program. Our communities continue to face the challenge of fighting the harmful spread of opioid addiction while ensuring the people who suffer from chronic, debilitating pain continue to have access to the treatments they need. This bill gets us closer to achieving that goal and to saving lives across the nation.
Serving as chairman of the Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit, I remain dedicated to reducing harmful regulations that prevent our financial institutions from supporting our main street small businesses. The jurisdiction of my subcommittee includes the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has a catchy name, but in practice, has been an unaccountable, unconstitutional bureaucracy.
Our Founding Fathers entrusted the power of the purse to those who represent the American people: Congress. Though the founders were clear in their vision, the architects of the Dodd-Frank Act did not seem to care. To fund the Bureau, they created an approach which is essentially a "hand in the cookie jar." For the past eight years, the Bureau has been able to bypass Congressional funding authority and oversight by simply using the Federal Reserve as a personal ATM. Thanks to the hard work of Appropriations Committee Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen and Chairman Graves, the Bureau will finally be subject to Congressional oversight and accountability in the appropriations process, forcing it to request funding from Congress and, more importantly, justify and answer for its actions before it can to continue operating.
Not only does the FSGG FY 2019 appropriations bill increase accountability in the financial sector, but it also prioritizes national security. The legislation includes additional funding for the Treasury Department's Office of Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, and for increased cybersecurity throughout the federal government.
As the House and Senate continue to work toward regular order in the appropriations process, I urge you to keep an eye on my website and social media for important updates. I was proud to support this legislation which prioritizes Missouri values and ensures our government has the critical funding necessary to unleash our economic potential and help Americans across the nation succeed.
U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., shares his perspective each week on national issues, including ones that affect Missouri. He represents the state's 3rd District, which includes Jefferson City. His local office can be reached at 635-7232.