Skip to main content

Palmer Opposes 2020 Spending Package

December 17, 2019

For Immediate Release
Contact: Elizabeth Hance (202)-225-4921

Palmer Opposes 2020 Spending Package

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Gary Palmer (AL-06) has voted "no" on the Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 1158) and the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 1865). These two "minibus" bills authorize continued funding of the federal government through fiscal year 2020, once the current funding resolution expires on December 20. Following their passage in the House of Representatives, Palmer released the following statement:

"Combined, H.R. 1158 and H.R. 1865 add up to a massive 2,313 pages and $1.4 trillion dollars in spending, adding even more to our deficit for this fiscal year and to our long-term debt. These two bills were released less than 24 hours before Members were expected to vote on them, making it impossible to review the bills beforehand.

"It is always difficult to vote against appropriations for our military. I have long supported increased and robust funding for our military. There is no question that we must make certain that our military is adequately funded both for its present missions and the missions of the future. But the reckless and irresponsible course that we are on in regard to spending will ultimately have a devastating impact on our ability to provide for our national defense. Regardless of which party is the majority, we must find a way to get control of our spending, set priorities for domestic programs and our military, and offer spending bills that fund those priorities and that will set us on a course to fiscal stability.

"I remain committed to finding solutions to rebuilding our military after years of neglect and to meeting the threats of the future, but these spending bills are not the way to get that job done. It's for these reasons that I voted ‘no' today on H.R. 1158 and H.R. 1865."

###