Mario Diaz-Balart

Mr. Chairman, Procedure · 36 wordsI yield myself such time as I may consume. I am pleased to present the fiscal year 2027 National Security, Department of State, and Related Programs appropriations bill to the House for consideration and for approval.Procedure Thanks · 163 wordsNow, let me start by noting the untimely, sad passing of our friend and colleague, Senator Lindsey Graham.¹ As chairman of the State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Subcommittee in the Senate, he was my counterpart. We worked together closely on our top priority, the national security of the United States. Senator Graham was a tough negotiator, but always, always, an honorable partner. He will be greatly missed, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family, his staff, and those who knew and loved him.Off point At the outset, I thank Chairman Cole for his invaluable leadership and commitment to ensuring that Congress upholds its responsibility to provide the tools necessary to safeguard our national security along with his partner in this endeavor, Ranking Member DeLauro. I also thank the ranking member of the subcommittee, Ranking Member Frankel, for the longstanding relationship that she and I have--we have been friends for many, many years--and for her valuable contributions during the bill development process.Thanks Positioning · 17 wordsI will tell you, anybody who knows Lois Frankel, she is tough, but she is always trustworthy.Positioning Mr. Chairman, Claims · 292 wordsthis bill is very straightforward. If you are a friend or an ally of the United States, this bill supports you, but if you are an adversary or you are cozying up to the adversaries of the United States, then, frankly, you are just not going to like this bill. This bill is the next step in strengthening our national security while reducing spending. Under Chairman Cole’s leadership, House Republicans have delivered nearly $12 billion in responsible cuts within the purview of this subcommittee just since 2023.² The fiscal year 2027 bill continues this work with another $2.7 billion in reductions, ³yet our national security priorities are funded at or above prior year levels. The bill maintains $1.8 billion for partners in the Indo-Pacific, including $500 million in military assistance for Taiwan.⁴ It provides unwavering support for Israel and fully funds the United States-Israel Memorandum of Understanding by providing $3.3 billion in security assistance.⁵ The bill recognizes the valuable partnerships in the Western Hemisphere which continue to expand and realign under the leadership of President Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio. The bill, again, increases support for our friends and allies, such as Paraguay, Argentina, and Costa Rica. As part of this effort, the bill increases funds to fight the trafficking of fentanyl, which has devastated every community and so many families across America.Unearned certainty It also continues strong support for a democratic transition to freedom for the people of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, and it supports religious freedom in Nigeria and around the world. Last year, the NSRP Subcommittee, as we like to call it, focused on responsibly transitioning the program PEPFAR to capable partners and to countries that are capable of doing more. PEPFAR has been and is a great success story, Reasoning · 24 wordsbut I think most of us would agree that the program, or any program, should not and cannot just go on forever in perpetuity. Claims · 373 wordsSo working alongside the administration, countries are now investing significant resources of their own towards their own health, allowing this committee to reduce funding, but--this is key--while maintaining the same outcomes. Just as critical as what the bill funds--I have talked about some of that--is what this bill does not fund and how it demands accountability for every single tax dollar. The bill prohibits funds to the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, ⁶and from being used by other countries to repay a debt owed to Communist China. It also prohibits lending to the PRC within the multilateral development banks, something that we shouldn’t have to do. This bill does it, however. The bill continues a key provision adopted in the previous year that blocks assistance to anyone that supports, finances, or facilitates the operations of the Cuban military. It prohibits all assistance to the Taliban and puts Americans first by withholding funds from Mexico until water owed to the United States is finally delivered.⁷ Assessed funding to the United Nations is cut by $1.8 billion.⁸ No funds are included for the United Nations regular budget, ⁹and funds are prohibited to organizations such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations Relief and Work Agency, known as UNRWA, ¹⁰which actively contradicts U.S. priorities and national security interests. The bill helps secure justice for victims of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack, which, by the way, includes 50 murdered Americans, by requiring full accountability for UNRWA staff involved.¹¹ A key measure from last year’s bill, which was enacted into law in fiscal year 2026, is also maintained in this one, requiring the Secretary of State to consider the U.N. voting record of countries in determining the allocation of funds.¹² The bill supports full implementation of key executive orders that reflect a clear commitment to a secure border, limited government, free speech, ending censorship, ending DEI programs, and so much more. Finally, Mr. Chairman, the bill maintains all longstanding pro-life provisions. It prohibits funds to the U.N. Population Fund and upholds the President’s policy on Protecting Life in Foreign Assistance.¹³ These measures, Mr. Chairman, alongside enhanced oversight and transparency, ensure American taxpayer dollars do not fund abortions, a policy that Americans overwhelmingly support.Unearned certainty Thanks · 49 wordsNow, before reserving, Mr. Chairman, I thank the staff of the committee on both sides of the aisle for their hard work. I, frankly, sometimes think that they are not human. Their work ethic is really beyond compare, and one cannot thank them enough, so I thank the staff.Thanks Mr. Chairman, Thanks · 12 wordsI commend the Speaker for bringing this crucial legislation to the floor.Thanks Claims · 16 wordsIt supports our allies and protects our national security in a smart, efficient, and thoughtful way. Mr. Chairman, The ask · 8 wordsI urge my colleagues to support this bill, Procedure · 8 wordsand I reserve the balance of my time.Procedure