Speech #1140011585

We learned that. instead of taking the clean bill that would fund the Department for the remainder of this fiscal year. the House has come up with a new plan. a plan to string this mess out even furtherthe new plan. to pass yet another continuing resolution. 150 days into this fiscal year. This is really discouraging. Additionally. we learned that the House leadership has decided now would be a good time to formally request a conference committee be convened on the controversial immigration riders passed by the House bill and the Senates clean bill. As hard as it is to believe. they really think requesting a conference with the Senate. on the very day funding expires. is reasonable. I could not disagree more. I understand that many of my colleagues disagree vehemently with the Presidents executive actions on immigration policy. I understand that many of those same Members believe strongly that they should fight the President through the power of the purse. the appropriations process. What I dont understand is how a decision could be made to wreak havoc on one of the most important agencies in the Federal Government. the agency tasked with protecting our Nations homeland. over policies related to an agency that isnt even directly funded in this appropriations bill. Under a continuing resolution. the agencies that are funded through the Department of Homeland Security are hamstrung. forced to live at last years levels and under last years terms. Ironically. this means that Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. the agencies tasked with defending our borders and enforcing our immigration laws. have to do without the nearly $1 billion increase they would get under the fullyear bill. Instead of pursuing the bipartisan pathand I want to remind my friends that this Homeland Security bill was negotiated right here between Democrats and Republicans. a bipartisan bill. but. right now. instead of pursuing the bipartisan path the Senate has chosen. the House leadership has chosen yet another punt. By not passing the clean. fullyear bill. the House plan would delay terrorism preparedness and response grants for State and local public safety personnel. potentially leaving FEMA with insufficient time to get those grants out before funding expires.