Clark statement on House omnibus appropriations bill

Washington, D.C. – Congresswoman Katherine Clark released the following statement regarding the omnibus appropriations bill that passed in the U.S. House:

“Thanks to the relentless work of Democrats, this omnibus appropriations bill rejects large portions of the Trump agenda and makes significant gains that will make a real difference in the lives of families in my district and across the country. We fought hard and won funding that will improve early education and child care, help those struggling with the opioid epidemic to receive treatment, and make it possible for more families to keep a roof over their head in an incredibly expensive housing market.

This bill outright rejected Republican attempts to further restrict women’s ability to make their own health care decisions, and gut environmental protections, worker rights, consumer protections and more.

I am especially heartened to see that many programs that I have long-championed are included in the bill. That includes $5 million for maternal mental health programs to ensure moms, their new babies, and their families are not left to grapple with postpartum depression alone; an additional $105 million to expand substance use disorder treatment services under the National Health Service Corps, including offering treatment providers student loan repayment; $5.226 billion for the Child Care and Development Block Grant, which helps working parents to afford child care, join the workforce, and improve their family’s economic position; and $50 million in new funding for rapid re-housing projects and supportive service projects to assist survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

Despite these important gains, I still cannot support this bill. Republicans have once again failed to work with Democrats to find a bipartisan solution to protect our Dreamers. Meanwhile, while just a tiny fraction of Trump’s request, funding for an unnecessary border wall was authorized. This is a moral failing, and leaves me with no choice but to vote against this bill.”

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