WASHINGTON, D.C. --Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), released the following statement on H.J.Res 31, the FY19 Appropriations bill, which passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 300 to 128:

"Tonight, I voted in support of the FY19 spending bill to ensure that the government stays open and that we make critical investments in our country. Though far from perfect, this legislation is an achievement for the Democratic Majority negotiating with a Republican Senate and the Trump Administration. I appreciate the hard work of my colleague, Chairwoman Nita Lowey, and the entire Appropriations Committee in securing a strong bill that meets so many progressive priorities.

"First and foremost, the bill does not fund the President’s obnoxious, ineffective “wall” along the Southern border. Instead, we will invest in a more humane immigration system with improved medical and other services for those in detention and expand the Alternatives to Detention program.

"The bill roundly rejects the President’s proposed cuts to critical programs and instead provides increased funding for nearly every priority, including $2.6 billion for Transit New Starts, $22.6 billion for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, and nearly $2 billion for Amtrak. It also provides the necessary $393 million in funding for the Housing Opportunities for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS, or HOPWA, ensuring that New York does not lose funding for life-saving supportive housing. Voting yes also means securing an additional $1 billion in Census funding, ensuring a 1.9 percent pay raise for federal civilian workers, and blocking the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to environmental programs by investing $9.3 billion in the EPA and the Land and Water Conservation Fund. Like many of my colleagues, I remain concerned about the record funding levels for ICE detention beds included in this bill. However, the bill attempts to address ICE’s overspending of its budget by placing the number of detention beds on a glide back down to currently funded levels by years end. The bill also makes significant investments in much needed alternatives to detention including restoring the Family Case Management Program that was previously ended by this Administration.

"I voted for this bill because the alternatives are unacceptable. Voting no would result in another government shutdown, furloughing 800,000 federal workers just a few weeks after they got back to work, again gutting the paychecks of hundreds of thousands of mostly low-income contract workers, and putting our economy in a tailspin. Voting for a Continuing Resolution is also not a viable option; that would result in a loss of over $11 billion in new investments, no increase is census funding, and a lack of a pay increase for federal works.

"The American people sent us here to govern and to lead. Shutdowns are not governance, they are brinksmanship. It is time to pass this legislation, fund these new investments, and use our new majority to do the work of the American people. The only way to do that is to pass this legislation, fund the government, and get to work."

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