Madam Chair. I rise in opposition to the Blackburn Amendment to H.R. 240. the Fiscal Year 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations Act. I oppose the amendment because it is nothing more than the Republican majoritys latest partisan attack on the President and another diversionary tactic to avoid addressing the challenge posed by the nations broken immigration system. The President will veto the underlying bill if the Blackburn Amendment is adopted so I urge my colleagues to defeat this irresponsible amendment which has the potential to put the security of our homeland at risk. The Blackburn Amendment would prohibit U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from using federal funds to implement enforcement guidance governing the exercise of prosecutorial discretion to ensure that scarce resources are targeted toward aliens who pose a danger to national security or a risk to public safety and not wasted on Dream Act children who pose no threat to our nation. I oppose the Blackburn Amendment because it is hypocritical. irresponsible. and meanspirited. It is hypocritical because supporters of the amendment regularly claim that their refusal to compromise on budget issues and their support for sequestration is motivated by their belief in the importance of setting spending priorities.
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