WASHINGTON – U.S. Representative Mike Bost (IL-12) today voted for a funding package that keeps the federal government operating through the remainder of the current fiscal year, which ends in September. The bipartisan legislation – which passed the House by an overwhelming 309-118 margin – includes a permanent fix for retired miners’ health care benefits, limits EPA overreach, drastically increases border security, and strengthens our military.

“This legislation is not perfect and does not include everything we wanted, but it makes significant reforms that are wins for Southern Illinois,” said Rep. Bost.  “Now that we’ve come together to provide long-term certainty for our retired miners, military members, small businesses, and hardworking families in Southern Illinois, we can now redouble our efforts on the important initiatives that were not included in this bill and make progress there as we move forward.”

Omnibus Appropriations Bill for Southern Illinois:

Keeping Our Promise to Retired Miners:

• Contains a permanent fix that guarantees healthcare benefits to retired miners and their families who are facing uncertainty as a result of the financial crisis and corporate bankruptcies.

 

Spurring Economic Growth:

• Provides flexibility for the Trump Administration to unwind harmful, potentially job-killing executive overreach put into place by the Obama Administration.
• Reduces unnecessary regulatory burdens across government, including within the EPA.

 

Strengthening National Security:

• Includes the largest increase for border security technologies and infrastructure improvement in more than a decade.
• Prohibits the transfer or release of detainees at Guantanamo Bay into the U.S.
• Ensures Scott Air Force Base and other military installations receive the funding they need to keep America safe.
• Provides our troops the largest military pay raise in six years and reverses the Obama Administration’s personnel cuts.

 

Streamlining the Federal Government:

• Rescinds, consolidates, or terminates more than 150 federal programs or initiatives.
• Increases oversight and limits funding for agencies that have performed poorly, misused taxpayer dollars, or are not acting in our best interest.
• Provides no new funding for Obamacare programs.
• Reduces funding for payments to the United Nations and other international organizations.

###