WASHINGTON — Representative Ronny Jackson (TX-13) released the following statement in response to House passage of two appropriations packages, security and non-security, for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022:

“When Democrats came into control of the House, Senate, and Oval Office the American people were sold a lie that the adults were “back in charge.” So far, Democrats’ “leadership” style has been disastrous for Americans’ freedoms, pocketbooks, and livelihoods. Their mismanagement has again been seen throughout the FY 2022 appropriations process. I have worked tirelessly over the last year to make sure our district’s priorities were included in this appropriations package, which funds the entire federal government. As a Member of Congress, I find it outrageous that I could not get definitive answers on my priorities as recently as last week. Then, in the middle of the night, House Democrats finally released a 2,741-page, $1.5 trillion bill that we voted on less than 24 hours later.

“I can report to you that I voted in favor of the security package because it included many of my defense priorities for TX-13. As a retired Navy Admiral and current member of the House Armed Services Committee, I am proud to know that the future of America’s defense capabilities will be built in our own backyard.

“However, I did not support the non-security package as it included billions of dollars for Democrats’ socialist agenda. The people of TX-13 will not get behind funding for vaccine mandates, the Green New Deal, gender identity nonsense, or abortion funding. It is shameful that Democrats worked behind closed doors to conceal their socialist policy plans. The American people have little faith in Congress, and this Democrat-led appropriations process has demonstrated why.”

Background
Jackson voted in favor of the security package, which included funding for critical national security and TX-13 defense priorities.

• 2.7% pay raise for military personnel
• Appropriate funding for the military to bolster readiness and modernization by building on President Trump’s work to ensure the U.S. is the most dominant military in the world
• $189 million for the T-7A Red Hawk, the new advanced trainer aircraft that will be flown out of Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls
• Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, the new Intercontinental Ballistic Missile which serves as one leg of the U.S. nuclear triad and will ensure future projects at Pantex stay on track
• B-21 Raider, the new stealth bomber which will also serve as a leg of the triad and will bring work to Pantex
• $1.1 billion for the procurement of 12 V-22 aircraft, which will be completed at Bell Helicopter’s Military Aircraft Assembly & Delivery Center in Amarillo
• Nacelle Improvement to upgrade the current fleet of CV-22 aircraft at Bell’s Amarillo facility
• Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft which could bring significant work to Amarillo in years to come
• Increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection
• $1 billion for the Iron Dome air defense system to support Israel’s ability to defend itself
• Nearly $7 billion in supplemental funding to support Ukraine’s defense against Russia

Jackson did not support the non-security package, which included funding for Democrats’ socialist agenda.

• Funding for Democrats’ Green New Deal agenda
• Funding for federal vaccine mandates
• Funding for Planned Parenthood
• Pay raises for Members of Congress as Congress grapples with an 18% approval rating
• $75 million for the Election Assistance Commission, without any requirements to investigate or eradicate voter fraud issues seen in the 2020 Presidential Election
• $8.5 billion for the CDC, which has been guided by political science instead of science throughout the pandemic without any ramifications
• Fully funds ObamaCare
• Funding for “gender identity” nonsense

While Jackson could not support the non-security package for the reasons listed above, he was still successful in securing numerous wins for TX-13.

• $20 million for a military construction project for a brand-new Child Development Center at Sheppard Air Force Base that will be built years ahead of schedule
• $44.5 million for High Explosives Synthesis, Formulation, and Production Facility at Pantex in Amarillo to provide new capabilities on site and help replace the aging infrastructure
• Funding for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nuclear warhead programs such as the B61-12 Life Extension Program, the W87-1 Modification Program, and the W93 Acquisition Program, which will continue to bring work to Pantex for decades into the future
• Language to restrict the IRS from targeting people or groups based on their political or religious beliefs
• Designates I-27 as part of the Federal Interstate System, which will expand and improve the highway

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