FY14 Appropriations Bill Continues Commitment to Changing Washington’s Culture of Spending
WASHINGTON — Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), member of the House Committee on Appropriations, released the following statement after passage of the FY 2014 Omnibus Appropriations Bill.
"I am pleased to support legislation that will fund the government for the remainder of the 2014 fiscal year. It's no secret that Washington has a problem with out of control spending, but this bill is a sign of the continued commitment to changing the culture of spending in our nation's capitol. The House majority has successfully led the way in cutting more than $165 billion in discretionary spending since 2011, and this is the 4th consecutive year that we've achieved spending reductions. This bill focuses on funding priorities in every part of the federal government, while staying within the budgetary constraints.
"I especially want to commend the full committee chairman -- Mr. Rogers, and my subcommittee chairs -- Ms. Granger, Mr. Crenshaw, Mr. Culberson, and their staffs, for working tirelessly on producing a final product on such a tight timeframe."
Southern Florida specific highlights from the bill include:
--A provision amending the authorized limit for the PortMiami Deep Dredge project, allowing it to move forward without more delays
--$7.5 million for the second phase of the Tamiami Trail bridge project
--Fully funding the much needed improvements to aging Herbert Hoover Dike
--$92 million in IRS funding is set aside to improve taxpayer services and address refund fraud, identity theft, and overseas compliance
--Amending the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 to exempt medically retired personnel and survivor benefit plan annuitants from the temporarily reduced COLA provision
--Funding to hire 2,000 CBP officers to expedite trade and travel through our ports of entry
--Additional $20 million in one-time funding to APHIS for efforts of the multi-agency coordination involving the citrus industry to combat spread and eventual eradication of citrus greening
--$30 million for Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) research for competitive grant funding for institutions such as The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
--$5 million for the Florida Headwaters for land acquisitions