Dhs Cyber Incident Response Teams Act of 2019

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Ms. MOORE. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1158, a funding package that wraps together the FY 2020 Department of Defense and the FY 2020 Department of Homeland Security funding bills. While I support the other funding bills included in this package, I am concerned and opposed to the policies and priorities outlined in the Defense and Homeland Security bill and will vote No.

I support our men and women in uniform and ensuring they have the equipment and resources they need to do their jobs. The 3.1% military pay raise should be applauded.

The best way to support our men and women is to ensure those funds are being well spent rather than on things that do nothing to enhance or security, that we do not need, and which we cannot afford, but also for Congress to reassert our authority to prevent dangerous national security and foreign policy decisions, that will have consequences for generations.

Among my concerns with the Defense bill is continued and higher spending for the Defense Department with little or no oversight, especially when it comes to wasteful spending on overbudget programs. In this bill, we fund one of the largest military budgets in history, with little oversight to ensure we are getting the best bang for the buck. As we have seen with this capricious President, oversight is essential and necessary.

I am also troubled by the decision to drop the provision that would call for the repeal of the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force and for Congress to debate its replacement. Congress' war power is not self-executing and we need to aggressively protect it.

We will never stop open ended war if we never reconsider the open- ended authorizations that are feeding them. Yet, I am concerned when you consider this omission combined with the decision to drop key provisions from the FY 2020 NDAA (that I voted to add to that bill in the House) such as the provision ending the 2002 AUMF for Iraq--which is outdated and needless. While the FY 2020 NDAA included a provision providing paid leave to federal employees, it dropped strong language barring funding for an unauthorized war with Iran and ending U.S. involvement in the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen.

This is the bill that funds the policies and spending that was authorized in the NDAA and I will vote NO.

Tomorrow, we'll have a debate about the Constitution and our authority, ability, and responsibility to hold the President accountable. Well, we need a similar debate when it comes to war and peace. The Constitution is clear about Congress' authority and yet every time we punt on reasserting our authority to either approve or disapprove sending our men and women in uniform to war, we weaken our institution and our democracy.

Please know I will continue to work with my colleagues and support legislation to address the important House-passed provisions that were left out of this legislation and the final FY 2020 NDAA.

I also oppose the Department of Homeland Security funding bill. Neither this bill nor the Defense bill include strong restrictions on the President's ability to transfer and move funds for the border wall or to implement and enforce his immoral and unlawful immigration policies. From the terrible family separation policy, to the remain in Mexico policy, to even the decision by immigration authorities to ignore the CDC recommendation that those in detention be provided with flu shots during flu season. According to media reports, last May, a 16-year-old Guatemalan boy died in immigration custody after being diagnosed with the flu. This is just cruel.

I appreciate the work of my colleagues, from Chairwoman Lowey to Chairwomen Roybal-Allard to add strong oversight provisions to the bill and to end these harmful and ineffective immigration policies. Unfortunately, many of those efforts were not included.

We can do better which is why I will vote NO.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source