{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://barletta.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/barletta-details-highlights-of-cromnibus-spending-bill", "Barletta Details Highlights of Cromnibus Spending Bill", "2014-12-12", "2014", "2014-12", "Republican", "House", "PA", "Lou Barletta", "B001269", "barletta.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "WASHINGTON \u2013 Congressman Lou Barletta, PA-11, today detailed highlights of the so-called \u201cCromnibus\u201d spending bill, which is a combination of a Continuing Resolution funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through February 27, 2015 and an omnibus spending package funding the rest of the federal government through September 30, 2015.\u00a0 Most importantly, Barletta said he will now assume a prominent role as the House of Representatives moves forward with efforts to block President Obama\u2019s amnesty plan for illegal immigrants.\u00a0\n\u201cA huge majority of voters in my district and across America are opposed to the president\u2019s amnesty plan, which we will now be able to combat when the new House and Senate majority arrive in January,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cSpeaker Boehner personally promised that I will be at the table when our new policies are set, so for all citizens who are rightly concerned about amnesty, I will be serving as their eyes, ears, and voices.\u201d\nGiven the current makeup of the Senate, Barletta said the House was limited on its options of what to include in the spending package.\u00a0 Key in the legislation was the fact that DHS only received short-term funding, meaning Congress will be able to revisit the issue early in the new year to defund the president\u2019s amnesty program.\n\u201cThere is no immigration language of which I would approve that would stand a chance of passing the Senate while Harry Reid is still in charge,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cWe had to get the best bill that we could at this very moment, and then come back to the battle when our reinforcements have arrived with the new Congress in January.\u201d\nThe bill adheres to existing spending caps, but includes a number of important policy improvements, including the protections for national security and members of the military.\u00a0 It also improves public safety and gang prevention, and increases funding for Community Development Block Grants.\u00a0 The package also curtails overreach by the Environmental Protection Agency, political targeting by the Internal Revenue Service, and includes no new money for Obamacare.\nNational Security & Military\n Includes $521 billion in defense spending.\n\tIncludes a 1% pay increase for military personnel and cost-of-living adjustment.\n\tIncludes additional $900 million to address military funding shortfalls, including depot maintenance at facilities such as Tobyhanna Army Depot.\n\tProhibits the transfer or release of Guantanamo detainees into the U.S.\n\tIncreases funding for VA programs by $1.8 billion.\n\tProvides $2.5 billion for processing VA disability claims to end the backlog.\n\tRescinds $41 million in performance bonuses at the VA.\n Public Safety\n Restores funding zeroed out under President Obama\u2019s budget request for State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, which reimburses localities who house criminal illegal immigrants in local jails (increases funding from $180 million to $185 million rather than president\u2019s request of $0.)\n\tIncreases funding for gang prevention efforts, while providing resources to address drug trafficking (particularly methamphetamine and heroin), human trafficking, and an update of the National Gang Survey.\u00a0 \u00a0\n\tThrough COPS and JAG funding, increases gang prevention and methamphetamine prevention efforts.\n\tProvides $20 million to combat prescription drug abuse.\n Communities\n Funds Community Development Block Grants at $200 million more than original budget request.\n\tIncreases funding for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) by $75 million.\n\tIncreases funding for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).\n\tIncreases funding for flood prevention under the Streamflow Information Program.\n Coal\n Requires the Department of Defense to use anthracite coal to heat the Army and Air Force Barracks in Kaiserslautern, Germany.\u00a0\n Health\n Provides $5.4 billion to Fight Ebola in the US and abroad.\n\tIncreases funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by $43 million.\n\tIncreases funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $150 million \u2013 specifically increases for Alzheimer\u2019s, cancer, brain research, and the Gabriella Miller Kids First Act pediatric research initiative.\n Transportation\n Provides almost $41 billion in obligation limitation funding for the Federal Highway program (the same level authorized in the MAP-21 transportation authorization legislation).\n\tProtects small business from over regulation related to commercial trucking, driver hours, and hazmat permitting.\n Obamacare\n Provides no new funding for Obamacare.\n\tRequires Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Treasury to report to Congress on improper payments of ObamaCare tax subsidies.\n\tReduces funding to the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB).\n\tMaintains all existing pro-life policy and funding provisions.\n\tThree new pro-life provisions: \u00a0\n\t\tObamacare Transparency - requires Obamacare healthcare plans to inform customers if they provide abortion services.\n\t\t\tConscience Protection - requires HHS Office of Civil Rights to address complaints of violations.\n\t\t\tProvides $12 million in unused abstinence education funds.\n\t\t\n Internal Revenue Service (IRS)\n Cuts IRS funding by $345.6 million ($1.5 billion below the president\u2019s request and below Fiscal Year 2008 levels).\n\tProhibits IRS targeting of organizations based on their ideological beliefs or for exercising their First Amendment rights.\n\tProhibits the White House from ordering review of tax-exempt status.\n\tProhibits use of IRS funds for inappropriate videos and conferences.\n Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)\n Cuts EPA by $60 million, representing the 5th consecutive year of cuts \u2013 a total reduction of 21 percent since Fiscal Year 2010.\n\tReduces EPA staffing by 2,000 positions, which is equivalent to 1989 levels.\n\tProhibits regulation of farm ponds and irrigation ditches.\n\tProtects Second Amendment rights and prohibits EPA from regulating lead content in ammunition or fishing tackle.\n \u201cAs with any spending bill, the end result is not perfect, but this makes important strides in many key areas,\u201d Barletta said.\u00a0 \u201cI look forward to working with our new partners in the Senate in the new Congress, when we can finally work to stop the president\u2019s amnesty plan.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://barletta.house.gov//media-center/press-releases/barletta-details-highlights-of-cromnibus-spending-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3189488090574741, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}