HYDE-SMITH CRITICAL OF DEMOCRATIC BLOCKADE OF FY2020 DEFENSE FUNDING PACKAGE
Lack of Minority Support Stops Senate Effort to Move Appropriations Package that also Included Mississippi Flood Control Funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today criticized Senate Democrats for blocking an effort to advance a FY2020 funding package for national defense and other priorities, including Army Corps of Engineers projects in Mississippi.
“Fiscal year 2020 begins October 1, and an ‘aye’ vote was a vote for getting national security funding in place as soon as possible. I am disappointed that many Democrats seem satisfied with beating partisan drums rather than following a budget agreement to ensure we support our men and women in uniform, while also addressing many of the challenges facing our nation. I include consistent flood threats to Mississippi among those challenges,” Hyde-Smith said.
Democrats on Wednesday blocked a procedural motion to begin debate on a four-bill FY2020 appropriations package that included the Defense, Energy and Water Development, State and Foreign Operations, and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bills.
Hyde-Smith last week supported committee passage of the FY2020 Defense Appropriations Bill. A review of its importance to Mississippi is available here.
The Senator also serves on the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee, which last week gained committee approval of legislation to fund Army Corps of Engineers projects in Mississippi. Read more here.
Hyde-Smith on Thursday will participate in a committee markup for three additional FY2020 bills, including the Agriculture, Rural Development Appropriations Bill, the Transportation Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill, and the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations.
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