{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://stewart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-stewart-advances-republican-priorities-votes-for-omnibus-bill", "Rep. Stewart Advances Republican Priorities, Votes for Omnibus Bill", "2015-12-18", "2015", "2015-12", "Republican", "House", "UT", "Chris Stewart", "S001192", "stewart.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Washington, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) voted in favor of the House Omnibus spending bill, which passed the House 316 - 118.\nIn divided government, no one gets exactly what they want, Stewart said. But today, we funded the government with provisions that advance Republican priorities, including several of my own bills.\nFirst, this bill strengthens our national security. As a former military officer and a member of the House Intelligence Committee, I have been a leader in the fight to protect our country. There is no more important thing I can do in Congress. This bill does that by restoring much needed funding for our military to ensure our troops are ready to defeat ISIS. It also strengthens some of our visa programs to keep terrorists from traveling to the United States.\nSecond, it dismantles Obamacare by eliminating government subsides for insurance companies. Since I came to Congress I have fought at every opportunity to defund Obamacare. This provision is reason alone to support this bill.\nThird, this bill includes important provisions that are critical for Utah and my district. It fully funds the PILT program (Payments in Lieu of Taxes), which is absolutely vital to Utahs rural communities. It also stops the Fish and Wildlife Service from listing the sage-grouse on the Endangered Species List.\nAdditionally, this bill includes some meaningful tax reform, putting in place permanent tax breaks that will help small businesses and families.\nThis Bill:\n Strengthens our National Defense. The bill restores funding for our military to ensure our troops can confront todays challenges and defeat ISIS.\n\tDismantles Obamacare. It provides no new funding for Obamacare and prevents a taxpayer bailout of Obamacares risk corridor program.\n\tFunds the PILT Program. It protects important provisions for rural Utah by fully funding the Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) Program.\n\tPrevents Sage Grouse Listing. The bill stops the Fish and Wildlife Service from listing the sage-grouse on the Endangered Species List thereby allowing Utah to manage the species under its State Management Plan.\n\tBlocks EPA Overreach. It contains no funding for new or expanded EPA programs, holding the agency to its lowest funding levels since 2008 and its lowest staffing levels since 1989.\n\tRepeals the Oil Export Ban. Repealing this antiquated law will allow American companies to export oil oversees. Lifting this ban will create jobs and grow our economy.\n\tIncludes the Protecting American from Tax Hikes Act. The omnibus bill also ensures the passage of meaningful tax reform, which makes over 20 tax relief provisions permanent, helping small businesses and families.", 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://stewart.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-stewart-advances-republican-priorities-votes-for-omnibus-bill"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 2.932053990662098, "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"}