Hoyer: This Bill is Another Example of One Simple Message to the American People: You're on Your Own

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05) delivered opening remarks at the House Appropriations Full Committee Markup of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies FY 2027 bill. Below are a video and transcript of his remarks:

Click here to watch a video of his remarks.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I have been through markups on this bill as a member of the committee for about two and a half decades, and as Majority Leader and or Whip for the balance of my 45 years. So, this bill - as has been pointed out by our subcommittee Chair and by the Ranking Member in the first markup - means a lot to me. I went on this committee the day I went on the full committee and we chose committees, because I believe it is the committee that is at the heart of the strength and security of America. Certainly, the defense bill falls in that category, but no more than this bill. For as I've quoted Bill Natcher over and over again: 'As long as you take care of the health of your people and the education of your children, you'll continue to live in the strongest and best nation on earth.'

"Mr. Chairman, lamentably, I do not believe this bill reflects the kind of investment in that strength that this country needs. I want to thank my friend, the Ranking Member, for whom the annual Labor, Health, Education bill has been at the center of her work in this Congress. Her focus, as mine has been, is on children and women's health, education, and yes, the welfare of our workers. This is the last Labor, HHS, Education appropriation I'll be working on with all of you. I wish it could be one where we meet those promises and deliver what working families expect from us. The subcommittee Chairman mentioned, and as has been mentioned so often by our subcommittee Chairman and the full Chairman, you have to make tough choices. I think we all agree with that as appropriators. But the tough choices were made as to how much revenue you're going to have available and what you're going to pay for.

"In the 'Big, Bad Bill,' as we call it - you call it the 'Big, Beautiful Bill' - according to your desires, if dynamic scoring were applied - and that's what you have suggested - that would have cost us $4.7 trillion in revenue. Static scoring would have been, ironically, less, $3.8 trillion. Either number is an extraordinary number and would fund the appropriation bill for at least three years. Sadly, we don't make hard choices. What we do is we give significant tax cuts from no money that we have in excess, but from children, national security - although we don't really do it out of national security because we make exceptions for national security, but not necessarily for children [or] people with health problems. No hearing was had with the Education Secretary. No hearing with the Department of Labor, not a single hearing with any NIH Institute director. So, there was no question [posed] to an NIH Institute director, 'What are the consequences of these cuts?' And I want to join the Ranking Member in congratulating our subcommittee Chairman in making sure there wasn't a cut in NIH [funding]. I think that's a good policy, and I thank him for his leadership on that. Instead of working, however, in a bipartisan manner to produce a bill that helps our people access health care, education and employment opportunities, the majority is using this bill to, in many ways, dismantle, as the Ranking Member said, the Affordable Care Act.

"To start, this bill rescinds funding from P.C.O.R.I., which saves the taxpayer and helps bring costs down across our health care system, and it takes $2 billion in user fees from the state health care exchanges, squandering money we've already collected and making it harder for those without employer provided coverage to get [the] insurance they need. Moreover, the Fiscal Year 2027 bill would severely disinvest in the youngest Americans and their families. I spoke during the subcommittee markup about the positive impact of $315 million for preschool development grant programs and $150 million for the full-service community school programs; amendments will be offered for that. Representative Torres and I each have an amendment to that effect, which I hope we will adopt. I also have an amendment to protect scientists, doctors, and medical researchers at NIH and other health and research agencies from being targeted and fired based upon political considerations, not scholarship and science. And I hope we can come together under the vision and leadership of our Ranking Member to restore the funding cuts across this bill, which includes the $3.7 billion from the Department of Labor, including the Job Corps. And I understand Mr. Zinke will have an amendment to address that problem, and I applaud him for it. $4 billion from HHS and $8.1 billion from the Department of Education. Education is the seed corn; we're destroying that.

"Mr. Chairman, this bill is just another example in a long list of appropriations bills that the majority has put forward with one simple message to the American people: you're on your own. You want to make sure your preschools get the support and education they need to start kindergarten, ready to learn? You're on your own. You want to provide your family with affordable health care coverage through your state's exchange? You're on your own. Want to access hands-on skills training for the Job Corps and get a pathway to a good career? You're on your own. Mr. Chairman, we have an opportunity today to change the rhetoric from 'You're on our own,' to 'We're on your side.' Let's do it. I yield back."