WASHINGTON — Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he voted against a wide-ranging federal appropriations package this week, arguing the legislation failed to curb funding for sanctuary cities, included wasteful earmarks and continued programs he said are vulnerable to fraud.
Roy issued a statement Thursday evening following House passage of H.R. 6938, a consolidated spending bill covering Commerce, Justice and Science, as well as Energy and Water Development and Interior and Environment programs.
“Today, I voted against the Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations bill because it utterly fails to address the blatant denial of justice across the country by sanctuary cities, funds outrageous wasteful earmarks, and continues to fund grant programs ripe for abuse and fraud,” Roy said.
The House approved the measure by a 397–28 vote. The bill was introduced by Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla., and represents one of several annual appropriations bills intended to fund federal agencies through the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2026.
Roy specifically criticized provisions he said allow continued federal funding for cities that limit cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, as well as grants for legal aid for undocumented immigrants and programs described as supporting racial, restorative and climate justice.
“Congress refuses to stop funding these sanctuary cities that routinely undermine public safety,” Roy said in the statement, adding that he was “shocked” that only 40 Republicans voted against the bill.
Roy noted that he supported other appropriations measures this cycle, including the Energy and Water Development and Interior bills, and credited recent efforts to restore what lawmakers refer to as “regular order” in the appropriations process. Still, he argued that Congress should not continue funding programs he believes contribute to abuse and mismanagement.
He also said he worked to block a proposed $1 million earmark for a community center project in Minnesota, which he linked to a broader fraud investigation involving federal nutrition programs in that state. Roy said Congress should prosecute wrongdoing rather than approve additional funding and called for an end to earmarks, which he described as “the currency of corruption.”
The legislation approved by the House includes funding for a wide range of programs, including veterans treatment courts, prescription drug monitoring, opioid and substance use disorder initiatives, law enforcement grants and juvenile justice programs. It also allocates significant funding for environmental initiatives, wildland fire management, historic preservation and federal science agencies, while imposing reporting and oversight requirements on reprogrammed funds.
Roy framed his opposition in fiscal terms, citing the national debt and what he described as widespread fraud in federal spending.
“We are drowning in debt as a nation,” he said. “How about we stop that? Novel idea.”
The bill now moves forward in the appropriations process as Congress works to finalize government funding for the upcoming fiscal year.
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