Speech #1140006131

To my colleagues whose States need to recover from this weeks blizzards or to prepare for the next storm. let me just say: Support a clean DHS funding bill. We need to ensure that FEMA and our States have access to nearly $2.6 billion in grants to respond to future disastersboth natural and manmade. To my colleagues who want stronger border security and immigration enforcement. a clean DHS funding bill is what we ought to be rallying around. The clean bill put forward by Senator SHAHEEN and MIKULSKI would take additional measures to secure our border and enforce our immigration laws. something I know is a priority to me and. I think. to all of our colleagues. In fact. most of the funding increase in the ShaheenMikulski bill would go to border security and immigration enforcement. The bill our colleagues have put forward contains a little more than $10 billion for Customs and Border Protection. an increase of approximately $118 million above last years enacted level. This funding level would support the largest operational force level for the Agency in its historymaintaining over 21.000 Border Patrol agents and supporting the new funding level for nearly 24.000 officers. The ShaheenMikulski bill would also enable Customs and Border Protection to fly more patrols along our maritime and land borders and to continue purchasing new forcemultiplying gear and equipment. It would also increase funding for critical surveillance technologies along our border. especially along areas such as the Rio Grande Valley. by some $20 million. As our colleagues will recall. last year our Nation saw tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors and families from Central America come to our southern border. This clean fullyear funding bill would provide Immigration and Customs Enforcement $689 million more than last years funding to help address the additional needs associated with that surge. Specifically. it includes $3.4 billion for immigration detention and funds 34.000 adult detention beds. The ShaheenMikulski bill would also fully fund the employment eligibility verification system. known as EVerify. which helps businesses to ensure they are hiring legal employees. Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson recently saidand I fully agree with himthat to deny his Department fullyear funding would actually hurt our border security. We cannot continue to default to shortterm continuing resolutions and force the Department to cut corners and scramble to fund its highest priorities. As we have learned over these years. stopgap crisis budgeting is an egregious waste of money.