Johnson Defends the LGBTQ Community, Protects Public Lands, and Blocks Wasteful Projects in House Spending Bill
WASHINGTON, DC — Congresswoman Julie Johnson (TX-32) voted to pass a House spending bill that lowers costs, strengthens protections for survivors, safeguards public lands, and blocks extreme anti-LGBTQ provisions, while also including legally binding requirements to rein in the White House and ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly. The legislation reverses $9.5 billion in proposed Republican cuts by increasing funding for the Violence Against Women Act, investing in energy programs that reduce costs for consumers, and protecting national parks and public lands.
“Democrats fought to ensure this legislation reflects the very best of who we are as a nation, securing funding to protect our most vulnerable communities and public resources,” said Johnson. “We stripped out 140 extreme provisions that would have harmed the LGBTQ community and weakened public safety, while blocking wasteful vanity projects and advancing long-overdue investments in the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum and the National Museum of the American Latino. This bill affirms a simple truth: government works best when it is guided by dignity, accountability, and a commitment to the common good.”
The bill further blocks wasteful spending on Trump Administration vanity projects—preventing National Park Service funds from being diverted to a so-called “Triumphal Arch” and rejecting efforts to rename the Kennedy Center after Donald Trump.
Other highlights in the package include:
Addressing higher energy costs and rising utility bills by increasing investments in electric grid infrastructure by $375 million.
Providing $3.1 billion for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy funding, repudiating the Trump administration’s crusade against clean energy.
An increase in funding for the Weatherization Assistance Program by $3 million, rejecting the Trump Administration’s attempt to eliminate it. The program saves participating households $372 on average, per year.
Protecting the environment with $8.8 billion in EPA funding – nearly double the White House budget proposal.
Investing in water infrastructure and climate resilience by increasing funding for the Army Corps of Engineers by $1.8 billion, totaling $10.4 billion.
Promoting economic development by funding Economic Development Administration grants at $400 million above the Trump Administration’s budget request and rejecting their proposal to eliminate the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, which supports domestic manufacturers.
Fully funding the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities at $207 million each, rejecting extreme Republican proposals to eliminate them entirely.
The House-passed spending bill funds three of the 12 appropriations bills through the end of September of this year. The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Congresswoman Julie Johnson represents Texas’s 32nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives, serving on the Homeland Security Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, and the House Administration Committee. Her district includes parts of Collin, Dallas, and Denton Counties.
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