WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representative Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN-08) voted to pass the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024. This appropriations package helps rein in out-of-control Washington spending and put an end to budgetary waste, without compromising on the commitment to support physicians, veterans, or shortchanging investments in national security. Dr. Bucshon released the statement below following his vote:
“In recent years, failed economic policies have sparked record-high inflation and led to our national debt spiraling out of control. The Consolidated Appropriations Act takes an important first step in curbing Congress’ reckless spending binge while securing conservative and bipartisan wins for Hoosiers and all Americans. While this bill isn’t perfect, it is what can be done in divided government where Republicans only control one-half of one-third of the federal government.”
“As a cardiothoracic surgeon for more than 15 years, I was proud to fight for reimbursement that ensures physicians can afford to operate independent practices and care for Medicare patients. While it is unfortunate that budgetary constraints did not allow us to mitigate the full reimbursement cut for 2024, I appreciate the hard work of Republican leadership to negotiate with their counterparts to ensure a partial fix was included. It is clear there is bipartisan support for ensuring that providers are properly compensated for caring for seniors, and I will continue to advocate for action to halt the downward spiral of physician reimbursement and develop a permanent solution for America’s doctors.”
BACKGROUND
In November 2023, Dr. Bucshon voted to pass H.R. 6363, which avoided a government shutdown and allowed House Republicans to continue working to finalize the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process through regular order. The Consolidated Appropriations Act delivers on the promise House Republicans made to putting Congress pack on a path to fiscal responsibility for the American people.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act:
Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
- Rejects President Biden’s proposal for 4,700 new full-time equivalents (FTE) at the USDA headquarters in Washington, D.C., and instead encourages the hiring of staff in the county offices that work directly with producers and rural communities.
- Addresses foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land.
- Continues critical investments in agriculture research, rural broadband, rural water infrastructure, and animal and plant health programs.
- Provides sufficient resources to ensure the safety of food, drugs, and medical devices.
- Maintains a funding restriction on the FDA from conducting research on a human embryo that is intentionally created or modified to include a heritable genetic modification.
Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
- Utilizes the power of the purse to address the weaponization of the growing bureaucracy within the FBI and ATF.
- Maintains strong support for law enforcement through robust funding for Byrne JAG formula grants, COPS Hiring grants, and Community Project Funding for state and local law enforcement activities.
- Expands law enforcement efforts to combat human trafficking, including a focus on rural communities.
- Increases the DEA’s funding to expand its efforts to combat fentanyl.
- Prohibits the DOJ from targeting or investigating parents who exercise their right to free speech at local school board meetings.
- Prohibits the DOJ from investigating or prosecuting churches on the basis of their religious beliefs.
Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies
- Upholds the nation’s nuclear deterrence posture, including:
- $19.108 billion for the continued modernization of the nuclear weapons stockpile and infrastructure;
- $1.946 billion for Naval Reactors; and
- $2.581 billion for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation.
- Supports domestic uranium enrichment capabilities, including high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) availability, which is essential to reduce U.S. reliance on foreign sources to power current and future commercial nuclear reactors.
- Reduces reliance on foreign sources of critical minerals by maintaining strong support for domestic production.
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
- Reduces funding for the Environmental Protection Agency by nearly 10%.
- Cuts the Administration’s Environmental Justice Budget Request by $275 million.
- Rejects policy provisions included in the President’s Budget Request that would have reduced domestic energy production, driven up oil and gas prices, and increased U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
- Includes language to protect public access for hunting, fishing, and recreational shooting on federal lands.
- Maintains key provisions, including exempting farmers and livestock producers from burdensome greenhouse gas requirements and preventing an Endangered Species Act (ESA) listing of sage-grouse, to enable continued energy and mineral development across the West.
Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
- Fully funds veterans’ health care programs.
- Provides $2 billion above the President’s Budget Request for military construction, focusing investments on the Pacific theater, barracks, and other quality-of-life projects.
- Protects the 2nd Amendment rights of veterans by preventing the VA from sending information to the FBI about veterans without a judge’s consent.
Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
- Cuts $3.245 billion from the FY23 enacted levels across 19 DOT and HUD grant programs that have been overfunded by Democrats in recent years. Rejects the Administration’s request for additional programs and initiatives totaling nearly $2.641 billion.
- Funds safety-related agencies and missions within DOT modal administrations to improve safety and efficiency of our nation’s transportation system.
- Limits the Administration’s regulatory agenda, including prohibiting funds from being used to require inward-facing cameras or the enforcement of the electronic logging device rule with respect to carriers transporting livestock or insects.
- Maintains housing assistance for vulnerable Americans, including the elderly, disabled, and veterans.
Other Matters
- Requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to analyze and publish annually specified information on substance use disorder and mental health services provided to Medicaid and CHIP enrollees.
- Establishes Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) services as an optional Medicaid benefit.
- Increases the statutory 1.25 percent Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) conversion factor adjustment to a higher adjustment of 2.93 percent.
Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. represents Indiana’s 8th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives and is a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
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