Speech #1140005642

Instead of bringing a bipartisan bill to the Floor. House Republicans opted to pick a political fight with the E119 President. jeopardizing our countrys security needs. Republicans voted to add five poison pill amendments targeting the Presidents executive actions on immigration to this critical funding bill. One of the most offensive and dangerous of these amendments is the DeSantis/ Roby amendment. The National Task Force to End Sexual and Domestic Violence Against Women strongly opposes this and other amendments. which they describe as "overly broad. sweep large numbers of victims into their scope and ignore the best interests of victims and their children." In addition. the Task Force urges Congress "to prioritize the needs of immigrant victims of domestic and sexual violence. and reject these amendments." Other amendments proposed by House Republicans would further derail the Administrations progress on immigration reform. The Aderholt amendment would block the Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA) program and expansions to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. In addition. the amendment would block measures to strengthen border security. facilitate legal immigration. promote citizenship and immigrant integration. and spur innovation and entrepreneurship. The Blackburn amendment would terminate the existing DACA program and prevent hundreds of thousands of young people (DREAMers) who already have come forward. passed background checks. obtained protection. and followed the rules from renewing DACA. The Salmon amendment is based on the false premise that the presidents recent executive actions create an incentive under the Affordable Care Act for employers to hire deferred action recipients. Finally. the Schock amendment also is premised on the false notion that deferred action applications unfairly delay the adjudication of all applications.