Washington, D.C. — Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, released the following statement after House passage of H.R. 1625, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018.

“While imperfect, this appropriations bill provides necessary funding for our Armed Forces, the federal government, and other essential services and programs. In addition to fully funding our national defense at the levels General Mattis requested and authorized in the National Defense Authorization Act for FY18, the bill provides a pay increase -the highest ever - for our troops who sacrifice so much to protect Americans at home and abroad. The appropriations bill also includes many commonsense priorities, such as funding for school safety. It includes provisions for improving our election security and strengthening physical barriers along the southwestern border. Further, this package includes funding for key Energy and Commerce Committee initiatives, such as combating the opioid epidemic and reauthorizing the Federal Communications Commission for the first time since 1990.