United States-Mexico Economic Partnership Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. COLE. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to have the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies' bill included in this important appropriations package. As we have done every year since I have served on the subcommittee, we have been able to reach a compromise. I want to highlight a few of the many provisions in the Labor-HHS section of the bill.

The agreement boosts funding for the National Institutes of Health by $1.25 billion. I am proud to say this increase represents the sixth straight year of sustained increases for the NIH, thanks to bipartisan and bicameral support.

And funding resources, expertise, and investments we have made over the past 6 years in biomedical research, along with public health planning through mechanisms like the Infectious Disease Rapid Response Reserve Fund, are helping us come out of this pandemic faster than predicted.

Make no mistake, this is not an accident. It is a result of years of quiet investment, planning, and scientific dedication. I am glad this conference agreement continues these investments in biomedical research. It will benefit the Nation.

Finally, the bill also funds the President's childhood cancer initiative and continues support to end the HIV epidemic.

This conference agreement before us today also increases funding for education and training programs, including $52 million for an increase in career and technical education, a $10 million increase for TRIO and GEAR UP. We have increased funds for Impact Aid and special education and provided funds for veterans to integrate back into the workforce.

Finally, the bill continues existing funding restrictions, including those important to the pro-life community, and drops new controversial language.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to conclude by thanking Ranking Member Kay Granger and Labor, Health and Human Services Chair Rosa DeLauro. Ms. Granger has been a valiant leader navigating our members through some difficult decisions to bring us here today.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to acknowledge the negotiating skills of the chair of the Labor-HHS Subcommittee, Ms. DeLauro. I very much look forward to serving with her as both the chair of my subcommittee, as well as the chair of the full committee in the next Congress.

Last, but certainly not least, I also want to thank our full committee chair, Mrs. Lowey, who has had an outstanding career and navigated us to this point.

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