Providing for Consideration of H.R. Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026

Floor Speech

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, I will speak to the American people through you, so I address the Speaker and the American people.

You must be confused by this debate. We have two relatively new Members of the Congress who have spoken. I came in as Mr. Jack was speaking and he said that we need to open DHS. We certainly have agreement on about 80 percent of that, but the Republicans are saying unless you agree to 100 percent, we are not going to agree to opening DHS that ought to be opened during this time of war.

The Secret Service could be funded this afternoon. The Speaker just has to say the word because our side will vote to open up the agencies, but we have a difference of opinion with respect to two components of DHS that we believe are violating the Constitution of the United States.

We agree that we ought to open Secret Service. We agree that we ought to open FEMA. We agree that we ought to open cybersecurity, but what is your answer to saying: But if you don't do it all, we will not open those agencies and have the employees paid, who, of course, are critical employees.

You don't have an answer to that other than you want to muscle through something that has been questioned by many courts in this land.

Now let me read you a statement that was made by the border czar.

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Mr. HOYER. After a court said you must do this, the border czar, Tom Homan, who was in Minneapolis, who--by the way, Border Patrol killed Alex Pretti. Here is what the border czar said. Perhaps you don't care, but he said this: ``I don't care what the judges think.'' ``I don't care . . . ''

Yes, we here on this floor, and the Democrats on the floor in the United States Senate believe that is improper policy for law enforcement to say, to do, to act, to threaten people with: I don't care what the judges say.

Bring Ms. DeLauro's bill to the floor. It will pass. It will pass this afternoon, and all of those agents you have mentioned will be funded.

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Mr. HOYER. In addition to that, I don't know that I have heard it mentioned, but in the bill that was passed earlier this year, DHS was funded. ICE was funded with $150 billion, so don't get on this floor and pretend that somehow it is not funded because that is not true.

Bring this bill to the floor. We agree on it overwhelmingly. Do not allow the disagreement to undermine the agreement we have, particularly at a time of war when we ought to be united.

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Mr. HOYER. Mr. Speaker, frankly, these new Members of Congress apparently don't know what I am saying. We will vote to open DHS, including the Secretary's office, this afternoon, 1 hour from now, 2 hours from now. Bring it to the floor. Do not put in it what we all call a poison pill, and that is two components that are already funded--already funded.

Democrats and Republicans together can start paying the others today, but for the objection to the unanimous consent.

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