Speech #1140002420

This legislation is critically important to keeping our nation safe: It provides vital funding for the Department of Homeland Security for the remainder of the current fiscal year It also prioritizes frontline security efforts. while reducing unnecessary spending on overhead costs While there are many important programs that will receive funding through this legislation. Id like to address just a few critically important areas: Last November. President Obama through executive fiat granted amnesty to as many as five million illegal immigrants. His decision to circumvent the proper legislative process was not the right way to handle this important issue. The President himself even admitted that he did not have the legal authority to issue an executive notice of this nature. We made a promise to our constituents that one of the first things we would do this Congress would be to prevent the Presidents unconstitutional executive action from becoming our nations de facto immigration policy. This legislation does just that. Next. this bill increases funding for Customs and Border Protection in order to make our border more secure. This increase will support a greater number of Border Patrol agents and officers. and provides them with the technologies they need to ensure aroundtheclock surveillance of air. land and sea approaches to our nation. And finally. this legislation includes important provisions that will allow the Coast Guard to continue operations without the cuts proposed by the President that would have greatly harmed the Coast Guards operational abilities. This bill prioritizes spending in a way that will better protect our country.