14th District Congressman Tom Graves opposed the Fiscal Year 2020 spending bill. As the Republican Leader of Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, Graves specifically opposed the bill increasing spending over last year’s amount by 8 percent, or $1.8 billion.
Congressman Graves voiced his concerns as follows:
The total level of discretionary spending in this bill amounts to an 8 percent increase over last year. It also blocks funds to build a wall to secure our southern border. I’m also deeply concerned that it would provide the District of Columbia with a blank check without oversight, not to mention it would change current policy to allow the District to use taxpayer funding for abortions. As long as this bill contains these provisions it will never be signed into law.
The bill passed out of Subcommittee and is expected to be marked up by the full Appropriations Committee next week before heading to the House floor for a vote.
Last year, under Congressman Graves’ leadership as Chairman of the Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, $585 million was cut from across the Fiscal Year 2019 spending bill. The bill created the Fund for America’s Kids and Grandkids, which safeguards funds for future generations. The money saved was used to make an initial deposit in the fund, which could only be accessed when the nation’s budget deficit is erased.