Hoyer Remarks at Press Conference Following House Passage of the Omnibus

WASHINGTON, DC – House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined House Democratic leaders at a press conference today following the vote on the omnibus bill to fund the government. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery:

“The omnibus bill was a win for the American people. Was it perfect? I said on the Floor it wasn’t perfect. We don’t pass perfect bills. We pass bills that are reached through compromise, through the democratic process. I want to congratulate Leader Pelosi and Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Nita Lowey, who both worked around the clock to reach the objective that we reached.

“Congress has now approved the omnibus appropriations bill that will keep the government open, but more importantly, it will increase investments in important domestic priorities that will help our economy and help our people. When Members return to the 114^th Congress’s Second Session in January, we have a responsibility to turn to the pressing challenges of job creation, fixing our broken immigration system, and restoring voting rights protections. And we ought to proceed in the same bipartisan, cooperative fashion that allowed us to authorize the highway bill, reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, pass the Export-Import Bank reauthorization, and pass the [Visa Waiver Program] bill that will try to make America safer. So, if we could do those things, surely we can address additional priorities in the year to come.

“We must also take action on Puerto Rico. It should have been in this bill. Leader Pelosi fought hard to have it in this bill. Nita Lowey fought hard to have it in this bill. Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi and Reps. Nydia Velázquez, Luis Gutiérrez, José Serrano were indefatigable in fighting for it. It should have happened. I am glad that Speaker Ryan has said that he will address it next month when we return. It must be addressed and done.

“The last several weeks saw a number of bipartisan successes, which I mentioned. If 2016 is going to be successful, America needs to replicate that. Again, I want to thank Nita Lowey. I want to thank her staff – her staff director, David Pomerantz, and others on her staff that worked around the clock. Leader Pelosi and I also want to credit the White House who worked, as Leader Pelosi would say, shoulder to shoulder in making it very clear that we would not take riders, poison pills that would undermine the health and safety and security of our country.

“I want to join in wishing, as I close, all Americans, especially those serving our nation overseas and their families, a joyous holiday season and a happy new year.”