Fiscal Governance

The annual process to approve federal government spending requires Congress to pass and the president to sign 12 bills into law before the start of each fiscal year. Legislative consideration of these spending bills begins in the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, and, ideally, each bill moves through the legislative process individually until all 12 are enacted prior to September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.

Congress draws its authority over federal spending from Article I, Section 9, Clause 7 of the Constitution which states, “No Money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in Consequence of Appropriations made by Law.” Well aware of tyrants’ abuses of absolute discretion over the use of public funds, the framers of our Constitution tasked the federal branch most immediately accountable to the American people, Congress, with directing taxpayer dollars where they can be best utilized and most effective. This legislative duty is fundamental to ensuring our representational system is functional and responsive to the will of the people.

I am grateful for the work of House Appropriations Committee Chair Tom Cole (R-OK), other members of the committee, and Speaker Mike Johnson to advance the appropriations process in a more timely, straightforward manner this year. This week, with my support, House Republicans passed three of the 12 appropriations bills to delineate funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DoD), and State and Foreign Operations and Related Programs (SFOPS). Moving these bills early in the process demonstrates we are serious about addressing the myriad security threats facing our nation, at our borders, and around the world.

Funding for DHS is particularly urgent because it is the agency tasked with securing our southern border, which is in crisis. Under President Joe Biden, DHS Secretary Alejadro Mayorkas has neglected the rule of law and the will of Congress to misuse DHS funds and divert $1.4 billion away from completion of the border wall. The DHS bill passed by the House this week would put a stop to this by requiring Sec. Mayorkas to properly obligate funding already devoted by Congress to the border wall within 120 days of the bill’s enactment. It would also designate $600 million in additional funding for border wall construction.

While we do not share a land border with China, DHS also plays a role in enhancing global security in the face of growing aggression by the China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). A hostile encounter between Filipino and PLA maritime forces in the South China Sea earlier this month highlighted the urgency of the need for the U.S. to support regional security in the Indo-Pacific. The DHS appropriations bill passed by the House this week also increases funding for maritime cooperation between U.S. and our Indo-Pacific allies as well as increasing funding for our own Coast Guard by $1.3 billion.

Facing these concerns for regional security, the DoD appropriations bill passed by the House would allocate $200 million for Taiwan’s international security cooperation programs. It would also reinforce investment in modernization of our naval vessels and aircraft and fund 4.5 percent pay raises for all American military personnel and an additional 15 percent pay raise for our junior enlisted servicemembers. Chinese aggression toward Taiwan threatens to plunge the Pacific, if not the entire world into a greater crisis. Bolstering Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities is good, not just for friends of freedom in the region, but for the United States as well.

Recently, Iran has made troubling, publicized moves to expand its nuclear capacities emphasizing the precarious position of our ally Israel. Accordingly, the DoD bill would devote $500 million to support Israeli defense, including the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow missile defense systems.

Ensuring government spending serves the best interest of American taxpayers begins with a commitment to transparency and regular order. The House’s punctual passage of three bills this week to enhance security at our southern border, vigorously invest in our nation’s defense, and support our allies under intense pressure from our adversaries was a great step in this direction.