ICYMI: Womack Calls for Renewed Commitment to Budget and Appropriations Process Reform on House Floor as Latest CR is Set to Expire

On Wednesday, December 19, 2018, House Budget Committee Chairman Steve Womack spoke on the House Floor about the status of fiscal year (FY) 2019 government funding and the need for budget and appropriations process reform.

To date and prior to the start of FY 2019, five of twelve appropriations bills have been signed into law. The remainder of the government has been funded through the adoption of two continuing resolutions, the most recent of which provides funding through Friday, December 21, 2018. In the absence of congressional action, failing to pass some or all of the remaining bills or a continuing resolution (CR) would result in a partial government shutdown and would affect only the agencies that have not received FY 2019 funding.

I rise today to encourage all of us to stay committed to reforming the federal budget and appropriations process.

Here we are operating under a continuing resolution and scrambling to adopt another… our third of fiscal year 2019 alone. Despite good work being done to fund five of the 12 bills, after two and a half months and two continuing resolutions, our work remains unfinished.

Mr. Speaker, the power of the purse is the most important constitutional responsibility granted to Congress, yet we have regularly and repeatedly ceded our duty to fulfill this essential role. It’s unacceptable, and it’s clear that the federal budget and appropriations process is broken.

The American people deserve better.

As you know, the Joint Select Committee on Budget and Appropriations Process Reform laid the groundwork for bipartisan, bicameral reform this past year. Our proposal began taking steps in the right direction to improve the process.

While our efforts were unsuccessful, where we stand today highlights just how desperately our work was needed. It, Mr. Speaker, is now more necessary than ever.

I will continue to champion budget process reform and the ideas put forth by the Joint Select Committee next year. Today, I sent a dear colleague, which I ask unanimous consent to submit into the record, outlining our year of work. I encourage all members to review it and join me in this essential effort.

We owe the American people this process. Let’s fix this.

Video of Chairman Womack’s remarks can be viewed here.