Cole’s Insightful Speech on the 2025 American Relief Act: Highlights from the House Appropriations Committee

Mr. Speaker, I allocate myself such time as I may require.

I stand before you today in favor of H.R. 10545, the American Relief Act, 2025. This legislation ensures ongoing appropriations to maintain government operations until March 14, 2025.

When the House Appropriations Committee initiated our process of preparing bills for the fiscal year 2025, we recognized the need to act swiftly to position the House as effectively as possible. Accordingly, we successfully advanced all twelve of our annual appropriations bills from the Committee and managed to pass five of them on the House floor by the end of July.

Regrettably, the House does not operate independently, and I must express my disappointment that, whether we appreciate it or not, our counterparts in the Senate hold influence over this process. Up to this moment, the Senate has not passed a single appropriations bill for fiscal year 2025. As time has progressed, we have reached the December 20 deadline, indicating that another extension is necessary.

The bill we are considering today prolongs government funding until March 14th, granting Congress the essential time to finalize agreements on our FY25 spending bills. It also allows President-elect Trump to take part in this process.

Relying on a continuing resolution is never preferable, but Congress has a duty to keep the government functioning for the American populace. The alternative—a government shutdown—would be catastrophic for our national security and for our constituents, making it a serious error. This bill prevents such a self-inflicted wound.

Today’s legislation will also offer vital assistance to Americans striving to recover from recent natural calamities. 

This encompasses damage in my own district, which encountered tornadoes that swept through Oklahoma. It will particularly support communities devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton. 

The wreckage resulting from these storms and other disasters is profoundly distressing. Congress must take action. In this legislation, we will allocate one hundred billion in supplemental emergency disaster funding to provide the necessary recovery aid for states and communities as our fellow citizens rebuild and restore.

Lastly, the bill allocates ten billion dollars in economic aid for our farmers and ranchers. Following numerous natural disasters and a challenging agricultural economy, our farmers and ranchers require substantial economic support. While recovery efforts and rebuilding entail a lengthy journey ahead, this assistance will represent a crucial step forward, helping to sustain family farms and ranches nationwide while continuing to secure food and agricultural stability for our nation.

For these reasons, I strongly encourage all my colleagues to vote in favor of H.R. 10545 today. Thank you, and I reserve the remainder of my time.