WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Feb. 3, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Senate amendment to H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026. Congressman Bentz (OR-02) voted in favor of this legislation, which passed the House by a vote of 217-214.
This legislation includes funding for the Department of Defense (DOD); Financial Services and General Government (FSGG); the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; National Security; the Department of State and Related Programs (NSRP); and Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development (THUD). The passage of this bill completes eleven of the twelve appropriation committees’ proceedings for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The twelfth appropriation bill, funding for Homeland Security, has been passed by the House, but is being held in the Senate pending discussions between the White House and Senate Democrat leadership regarding immigration enforcement.
The appropriation process employed by Appropriation’s Chair Tom Cole (R-OK.) was more thorough and comprehensive than was the process used during Congresswoman Pelosi’s time as Speaker. Budgets and appropriations during her tenure were the product of Democrat leadership. Speaker Johnson and Appropriation’s Chair Tom Cole followed a committee-led approach referred to as “regular order” where budgets and spending were subjected to careful and considered review in an open and inclusive process.
The funding in this bill is important to Oregon. Although exact numbers are not yet available, it is estimated that this bill contained between $16-22 billion in funds for Oregon. The total amount in the bill was approximately $1.18 trillion.
Congressman Cliff Bentz (OR-02) released the following statement:
“The House has spent the last several months working through a bipartisan, bicameral process to finish our appropriations work and fund the government in a member-driven, district-focused way. This is what a return to regular order looks like, and it ensures that Congress is fulfilling its constitutional duty to fund the government responsibly and transparently. While work remains to finalize FY26 funding for the Department of Homeland Security, I am confident that continued discussion and negotiations between the White House and congressional leadership will allow Congress to complete the appropriation process.”
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