Washington, DC— U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), a member of the Defense subcommittee, participated in the full committee markup of the fiscal year 2023 Defense and Legislative Branch appropriations bills. The Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense has been hard at work this fiscal year to determine next year’s federal investments—holding 18 hearings on topics including environmental restoration, health and medical readiness, and the National Guard and Reserve.

The bill invests nearly $762 billion in discretionary spending, an increase of $33.2 billion above the fiscal year 2022 enacted level. This bill follows the passage of two recent Ukraine supplementals totaling $26.6 billion for the Department of Defense and the United States Intelligence Community. 

“This bill was written to strengthen our existing defense community and give them the tools they need to do their jobs safely and come home to their families,” said Congressman Cuellar, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. “This includes direct investment into our South Texas community, like funding for service members at Joint Base San Antonio with telehealth services for military families and human performance optimization programs. The legislative branch bill also provides funding for Capitol Police and congressional staff members who work so diligently to help Congress run smoothly. My goal on the Appropriations Committee has always been to protect, serve, and fund our federal institutions—like our military community and Capitol Police—who put their lives on the line for our freedoms every single day. This bill does just that. I look forward to working with Chairs McCollum and Ryan, and my colleagues, to pass these bills through the House expeditiously.”

Additionally, the defense legislation:

• Provides critical security assistance to Ukraine with resources for training, equipment, weapons, supplies and services, salaries and stipends, and intelligence support to the Ukrainian military and national security forces.

• Protects our national security, preserves our domestic advanced manufacturing base to support jobs and economic growth, and invests heavily in research and development with funding recommended by the Secretary of Defense.
• Provides full funding necessary to support the proposed 4.6% military pay raise.
• Provides language for a study for the determination of U.S. combatant command Mexico and whether it should reside in Northern Command or Southern Command based on which serves the United States security interests more productively

• Defends democracy and counters China with robust funding to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific.
• Supports working families by requiring contractors to pay a $15 minimum wage.
• Confronts the climate crisis with $2.5 billion in investments in clean energy and climate adaptation to protect facilities, readiness, and global security.
• Addresses violence against women with funding to tackle sexual assault in the military and promote mental health through suicide prevention funds and directs DoD to address extremist ideologies, including white supremacy. The bill includes $479 million to fully implement the recommendations of the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment. In addition, the bill continues to provide $47 million for the Special Victims’ Counsel program.

The bill report is here. The text of the draft bill is here. In keeping with the Appropriations Committee’s commitment to transparency, information on Community Project Funding in the bill is here. A summary of the bill is here.

The Legislative Branch funding bill, which was advanced by a voice vote in Subcommittee on Wednesday, June 15 includes the following provisions:

• Increases funding to hire additional officers, improve training, and bolster wellness support for the Capitol Police. 
• Makes a substantial investment in securing our Capitol Complex for the safety of its Members, staff, and visitors. 
• Expands internship opportunities by providing a livable wage for House interns, growing opportunities for working and middle-class families.
• Provides the necessary increases to support the staffing and other resources needed by Congress to do its job well and best serve constituents.

The bill report is here. The full text of the bill is here. A summary of the Legislative Branch funding bill is here.

###