U.S. Congressman Steve Womack statement on House passage of Homeland Security, Defense, State and Foreign Operations FY25 Appropriations Bills

Washington, DC—June 28, 2024…Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the FY25 Homeland Security, Defense, and State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations bills with his strong support:

Congressman Womack said, “Promoting America’s safety and security is at the heart of each of the Appropriations bills House Republicans passed this week. We advanced investments to secure the border, deter our adversaries, and support our men and women in uniform. The defense priorities within Arkansas’ Third are also taken care of, including additional funding for the Foreign Military Sales mission at Ebbing Air National Guard Base and vital defense research conducted in Arkansas. However, our work is far from complete. We must continue down the aggressive path Chairman Cole has set for Republicans to have strong negotiating power and fulfill our duty of responsibly funding the government.”

Bill breakdowns:

The Homeland Security Appropriations bill secures our southern border by providing robust funding for border patrol agents and technology, counters China, bolsters national security, and rejects the Biden Administration’s attempts to further its reckless agenda to encourage more illegal immigration. A summary of the bill can be found here.

The Defense Appropriations bill funds a 4.5% pay raise for our troops, as well as an additional 15% pay increase for junior enlisted servicemembers, ensures the delivery of combat-ready forces to deter war and ensure national security, and eliminates funding for President Biden’s social agenda. A summary of the bill can be found here.

The State and Foreign Operations bill prioritizes resources to support our allies and counter our adversaries, prohibits funding for organizations that do not support U.S. interests—including the International Criminal Court, United Nations Relief Works Agency, and World Health Organization—and promotes American values by increasing funding for religious freedom programs abroad and implementing the expanded Mexico City Policy on all health funds in the bill. A summary of the bill can be found here.

The House has now passed 4 of the 12 FY25 Appropriations bills, with passage of the FY25 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill on June 5, 2024.