Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 9494 - Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2025

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

(House)
(Rep. Higgins, R-LA)

The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 9494, making continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2025, and for other purposes. Instead of working in a bipartisan manner to keep the Government open and provide emergency funding for disaster needs, House Republicans have chosen brinksmanship.

This continuing resolution (CR) would place agencies at insufficiently low levels—both for defense and non-defense—for a full six months, rather than providing a short-term stopgap to provide the Congress more time to work on full-year bills. CRs are the antithesis to an effective government that serves the American people and should always be as short as possible to allow work on full year bills. This bill is especially irresponsible in matters of National Security as a 6-month CR would erode our military advantage relative to the People's Republic of China, degrade readiness, and fail to provide the support our troops deserve. A CR ending March 28^th also takes the Congress dangerously close to the deadline when across-the-board cuts would come into place next year, as dictated by the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.

While the Administration supports the funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund, which we requested, this bill fails to address key emergency funding needs. The bill omits critical disaster relief funding that communities in over 20 States and Territories need to address housing, economic development, and other long-term recovery needs. The bill also fails to provide necessary funding for highways and bridges that have been damaged by disasters in 38 States and three Territories.

In addition, H.R. 9494 fails to provide the resources, requested by the Administration, to avoid severe disruptions to several critical Government services—creating the risk that the Department of Veterans Affairs would slow hiring and reduce health care services to veterans; continuing deterioration in service for the over 71 million Americans who rely on the income support Social Security programs provide; undermine the Internal Revenue Service's ability to ensure the wealthy pay the taxes they owe using Inflation Reduction Act resources; holding back resources that help small businesses access capital and technical assistance; and failing to protect nutritional assistance for vulnerable families whose benefits are stolen.

Instead of meeting the security and disaster needs of the Nation, this bill includes unrelated cynical legislation that would do nothing to safeguard our elections, but would make it much harder for all eligible Americans to register to vote and increase the risk that eligible voters are purged from voter rolls. This legislation is unnecessary. It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in Federal elections—it is a Federal crime punishable by prison and fines. This behavior is wrong and the law clearly prohibits it. In addition, making a false claim of citizenship or unlawfully voting in an election is punishable by removal from the United States and a permanent bar to admission. States already have effective safeguards in place to verify voters' eligibility and maintain the accuracy of voter rolls.

The Administration urges House Republicans to engage in a bipartisan process that keeps the Government open and provide much needed emergency disaster funding for Americans who are trying to rebuild.

If the President were presented with H.R. 9494, he would veto it.