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

Floor Speech

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Mr. JACK. Mr. Speaker, by direction of the Committee on Rules, I call up House Resolution 1095 and ask for its immediate consideration.

The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 1095

Resolved, That upon adoption of this resolution it shall be in order to consider in the House the bill (H.R. 7744) making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. The bill shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill and on any amendment thereto to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.

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Mr. JACK. Mr. Speaker, for the purpose of debate only, I yield the customary 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Mexico (Ms. Leger Fernandez), pending which I yield myself such time as I may consume. During consideration of this resolution, all time yielded is for the purpose of debate only. General Leave

Mr. Speaker, last night the Committee on Rules met and granted a rule providing for consideration of one measure. The rule provides for consideration of H.R. 7744 under a closed rule. The rule provides 1 hour of general debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member on the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees. Additionally, the rule provides for one motion to recommit.

Mr. Speaker, nearly 3 weeks ago, on February 13, my Democrat colleagues irresponsibly and vindictively shut down the Department of Homeland Security, crippling the capabilities of the very Department charged with protecting the American people.

Leading up to that moment, I brought forth a rule that allowed the House to concur in the Senate amendments to H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026, legislation that funded the remainder of the Federal Government through the end of the fiscal year with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security.

Despite previously agreeing to a bipartisan and bicameral approach to fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of the fiscal year, including provisions for both funding and enhanced oversight, Democrats reversed course at the last minute and have since held this critical funding hostage, directly putting the safety and security of the American people at risk.

Mr. Speaker, I return today to give my Democrat colleagues the opportunity to reverse course on this dangerous lapse in leadership and move legislation forward that provides full funding for the personnel, training, and technology necessary to protect our homeland and keep our communities safe, secure, and resilient.

The Department of Homeland Security oversees agencies responsible for aviation security, border protection, cyber defense, disaster response, maritime security, and counterterrorism missions that directly impact the safety of millions of Americans every single day.

Simply put, a ``yes'' vote on today's rule is a vote to consider legislation that will fully fund the Department of Homeland Security, ensuring that the agencies tasked with keeping the American people safe, from counterterrorism to cybersecurity, to disaster response, are not weakened at a moment when threats are rapidly increasing.

A ``yes'' vote on today's rule is a vote to stand with the men and women on the frontlines of our national security, from coastguardsmen to GSA officers, to cyber defenders, law enforcement personnel, and emergency responders who are now working every day without pay to keep our country safe.

A ``yes'' vote on today's rule is a vote to consider legislation to end this Democrat shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and restore the resources necessary to defend the American people.

Mr. Speaker, the need to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security becomes even clearer when we consider the serious global threats facing our country today. For nearly 50 years, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the number one state sponsor of terrorism, has called our great country the ``Great Satan'' and indoctrinated generations of its people with the chants of ``Death to America,'' making clear its commitment to our destruction.

Despite repeated attempts at diplomacy, the regime has relentlessly pursued a nuclear weapon, developed its ballistic missile program, and funded proxy terrorist organizations across the world, all while its own people suffer under corruption, repression, and economic collapse.

This past Saturday, President Donald J. Trump kept his promise, decisively authorizing Operation Epic Fury, a large-scale kinetic military operation targeting key regime military infrastructure and leadership responsible for incessant aggression and attacks against the United States and our allies.

This moment did not occur in isolation. It was the result of decades of sustained hostility by the Iranian regime toward the United States, just as the maniacal Iranian regime was reaching the nuclear weapon threshold.

To the American people, the timeline is clear.

In November 1979, Iranian students, backed by the regime, stormed the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and held hostage 66 brave Americans for 444 days as they beat them and subjected them to mock executions and other forms of torture.

In October 1993, Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, killed 241 American military servicemembers, including 220 marines and 21 other service personnel in a truck bombing at a Marine compound in Beirut.

In June 1996, Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists killed 19 U.S. airmen and wounded nearly 500 others in a truck bombing at a U.S. Air Force housing complex in Saudi Arabia.

Between 2003 and 2011, Iranian proxies killed at least 603 American troops in Iraq, roughly one out of every six American combat deaths in that war.

In January 2016, Iranian forces seized two U.S. Navy boats and detained 10 U.S. sailors who were held at gunpoint, forced to kneel with their hands behind their heads, and filmed for propaganda being released 15 hours later.

More recently, on October 7, 2023, Iran-backed Hamas terrorists murdered 46 Americans and kidnapped 12 Americans in addition.

Between October 2023 and November 2024, Iran and its proxies carried out more than 180 attacks on U.S. forces in the region, killing American servicemembers and wounding American service personnel.

In July 2024, an Iranian national linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attempted to assassinate then-candidate for President, Donald J. Trump, forcing his Presidential campaign, which I remember being a part of it, to charter decoy planes to avoid the threat.

In recent weeks, Iranian representatives continued to lie and negotiate in bad faith, stalling peace talks as they prepared offensive military threats against American forces.

This pattern of aggression makes crystal clear that these are not isolated incidents. They instead represent a sustained and deliberate campaign by the Iranian regime to target the United States and undermine our national security.

This is precisely why decisive action by our Commander in Chief, President Donald J. Trump, was necessary. By destroying Iran's military capabilities, its missile capabilities, dismantling its naval strength, and ensuring that this regime can never obtain a nuclear weapon, President Trump and his administration have acted to protect the American people and defend our national interests. This level of action is only possible because of the strength of the United States military.

During his first term, President Donald J. Trump rebuilt our military to a level many thought would never be possible. Through historic investments, a renewed focus on modernization, and the restoration of military readiness, he ensured that today we possess the strongest and most capable military humanity has ever seen. It is that peace through strength, rebuilt and restored, that made decisive operations like Operation Epic Fury possible, demonstrating to our adversaries that the United States has both the capability and the resolve to act swiftly, effectively, and without hesitation to protect the citizens of our country.

Mr. Speaker, during this operation, six Americans bravely sacrificed their lives to keep our homeland safe. May we forever remember and honor their legacy of selfless service to these United States of America.

The threats facing our country today do not stop at distant battlefields. They can reach our networks, our borders, and our communities here at home.

While Iran's aggression is often discussed in terms of conflict in the Middle East, we must not forget that the regime and its proxies also pose a direct threat to the American homeland. Our Homeland Security and Intelligence agencies have warned that Iran and its affiliates maintain the capability to conduct cyberattacks against our utility services, direct espionage campaigns within our borders, and potentially inspire or direct violence within the United States, targeting critical infrastructure, financial systems, and other central networks on which millions of Americans rely.

That is why President Trump's Department of Homeland Security plays such a vital role in coordinating intelligence, strengthening cyber defenses, securing transportation systems, and protecting the American homeland from emerging threats.

Mr. Speaker, border security is homeland security. At a time when hostile regimes and terrorist networks continue to threaten the United States, we cannot ignore the risks posed by an unsecure border and inadequate vetting of individuals entering our country. Ensuring that terrorists, traffickers, and foreign operatives cannot exploit weakness in our immigration system is a fundamental responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security.

While security at our southern border has drastically improved and more than 600,000 criminal aliens have been deported under President Trump's administration, millions of unvetted, illegal immigrants who entered our country during 4 years of the porous open border under the Biden administration still remain in the United States today.

Among these illegal immigrants are members of violent transnational gangs, some of which have ties to Iranian-backed terror networks who threaten the safety of American communities. At a time of heightened global tensions and increasing threats, the presence of even one dangerous individual within our borders poses a serious risk to America.

If we look at results here at home today, we have seen real progress in safety and security under President Trump, proof that his approach works and can be trusted abroad.

Under President Trump's leadership, fentanyl deaths fell by 34 percent in 2025, as trafficking across our southern border was cut in half. Violent crime has declined nationwide, with homicides experiencing one of the largest single-year drops on record. In cities where enhanced enforcement has taken place, the results have been even more dramatic. Murders here in Washington, D.C., have dropped 60 percent. Chicago saw its lowest number of murders since 1965. Memphis saw 200 fewer murders and a 40 percent decline in shootings. New Orleans' homicide rate reached its lowest level in 50 years.

Mr. Speaker, these outcomes exemplify what strong leadership and commitment to law and order can achieve, but maintaining that progress requires a fully functional Homeland Security apparatus.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to make one thing clear for the record and for everyone who is watching today: Despite what some of my Democrat colleagues may be telling their constituents, as they fear primary challenges from the left, this debate is not about funding ICE or CBP. Those agencies were already fully funded through H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which was enacted last year.

This debate is about the rest of the Department of Homeland Security, the agencies responsible for counterterrorism, cybersecurity, disaster response, aviation security, maritime security, and other critical missions that protect the American homeland.

By refusing to fund the remainder of the Department of Homeland Security, my Democratic colleagues have left critical Homeland Security missions vulnerable at a time when threats against our country are increasing. The consequences of that decision are already being felt.

Due to the Democrats' Homeland Security shutdown, our country's cyber defenses remain weakened, leaving critical infrastructure like hospitals, water systems, and energy grids more vulnerable to attacks from adversaries like Iran.

Due to the Democrats' Homeland Security shutdown, our Coast Guard faces disruptions to essential missions, like search and rescue, port security, and drug interdiction, while servicemembers in harm's way are left without the full support and pay that they deserve.

Due to Democrats' Homeland Security shutdown, TSA officers who service airports like Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, as well as other airports across our country, are forced to work without pay, hurting morale, straining staffing, and increasing the risk of security gaps, delays, and disruptions in our airports.

Due to the Democrats' Homeland Security shutdown, FEMA is stretched to its limits, jeopardizing disaster response, recovery efforts, and preparedness as severe weather threatens communities across the country.

Passage of the resolution today allows the House of Representatives to consider, debate, and pass legislation that ends this Democrat shutdown and fully funds the Department of Homeland Security, ensuring that agencies charged with protecting the American people are equipped with the resources necessary to carry out their critical missions without disruption.

Mr. Speaker, protecting the American people should never be a partisan issue. Regardless of party, every Member of Congress has a responsibility to ensure the agencies tasked with defending our homeland have the resources they need to do their jobs.

It should really be that simple.

I urge all of my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on House Resolution 1095 because it allows this House of Representatives to carry out its most fundamental duties: to govern, to safeguard the American people, and to confront the serious threats facing our country today with strength, clarity, and resolve.

A ``yes'' vote today allows us to end the Democrats' Homeland Security shutdown and protects our homeland.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ.

Mr. Speaker, six Americans are dead, and bombs are falling on our consulates and bases and allies because Trump has started what he has now said could be a, in his words, forever war. This is the same President who said: ``I am not going to start wars. I am going to end them.''

This is a President who has said America First means no more wars. This is a President who has betrayed--he has betrayed those people who voted for him expecting him to keep us out of wars.

He started this war as a matter of choice because he wanted to. We have heard over and over again that there was no imminent threat, which is the legal criteria. There was no congressional authorization.

Trump betrayed his own commitments, his own voters. Trump betrayed them and betrayed those Republicans who thought he was going to keep us out of war, so you would think that Republicans who control this House would bring us back into a session so we could address this war, so we could discuss: Is it legitimate? What can we do? How do we exercise our Article I power?

Why don't you all want to exercise the power that was given to you by your voters? That is not what we are doing today. Instead, we are here on a rule that has one bill, and that bill is so important. That is the only thing we are going to cover. But guess what. We already did it.

This is a rerun of a bad movie. It is a rerun because there is nothing in this bill that is not already in the bill that, as the gentleman pointed out, was already passed.

The only thing that has changed from when we last passed this very same bill a few weeks ago was that ICE and CBP have killed, arrested, detained, and terrorized more American citizens.

When we last passed this bill, Alex Pretti was alive. Alex Pretti had not been killed. Alex Pretti's Second Amendment rights were still being honored. That is what has changed. What has changed is more people have died in ICE custody.

What has changed is it has gotten only worse. We have seen ICE officials have to walk back their lies about their encounters with citizens who they have shot and beat up and arrested. That is the only thing we have seen since this bill was last passed.

The reality is that the only way to get DHS funded all together in a single bill is for the White House, Senate, and House to come to an agreement. They are in negotiations to do that, but this is the kind of thing where even though negotiations are going on, the House just wants to do the same thing over and over again.

Do you know what, do you remember that quote of when you do the same thing over and over again with the same results, it is actually a little bit of madness?

I put up this letter because, while House Republicans kind of don't understand where Americans are, this 7-year-old named Connor does. Connor sent me this letter where he says: ICE, no money. He put a whole bunch of zeros after it. He doesn't realize they get a lot more than the $1 billion that he set out here. As my colleagues noted, they are already fully funded. They have all that money from H.R. 1.

What Democrats have suggested is, since they already acknowledge--he said it on the floor--that they are fully funded, why don't we just pass a bill that funds FEMA, that funds Coast Guard, that funds these critical agencies over which there is no debate, no controversy, and no need for negotiations?

They rejected that amendment last night because if they really cared about funding these critical agencies, they would say let's fund them, and let's take up the issues of how we make sure that ICE and CBP protect Americans.

Not only is Connor worried, but a parent told me when I was back home that her child asked her two questions as they drove home from school one day. One question was: Mom, are elves real? The second question was: Mom, what do I do if ICE comes for me? What do I do if ICE comes for you?

This is a little Latina student, a citizen, somebody whose family has been in this country for generations, but they are terrified because if you look Latino, you are at risk.

They are unwilling to put any protections in to protect our families. They are unwilling to put any protections in to say: Don't go into our schools. Don't go into our hospitals. Don't go into our churches. Preserve the places where people should be able to go to feel safe.

For example, in Clovis, New Mexico, ICE broke a car window at a health clinic, a health clinic, and dragged the father away. The mother had to run into the health clinic to make sure that there were no glass shards on the baby's skin because that window had been shattered.

This is the kind of activity that they are condoning. That baby was lucky because we know that there are babies like 2-month-old Juan Nicholas in Texas who was sick in detention with bronchitis and almost near death and who was deported across the border without any money, without any people who he would know.

Thank heavens the goodness of the American people helped that baby out.

I could tell story after story that should make anybody who has a heart, conscience, or moral values based on any of our faith traditions cry and say: This is not an America we believe in.

At least 3,800 children under age 18, including 20 infants, were held in detention under the Trump administration in 2025 alone.

The cruelty continues far beyond those thousands of kids, and it is not just that they killed--they killed--citizen Alex Pretti and citizen Renee Good. This is a pattern and practice of ICE hurting our communities and violating the Constitution. Americans who believe in law and order, respect for constitutional rights, and who don't want government overreach should be and are, indeed, outraged.

However, today, Republicans are, once again, demanding more money for the Department of Homeland Security's ICE and CBP which they acknowledge has already been fully funded. In fact, we know that $150 billion of the money that we already sent to DHS remains available to them. However, now, as we heard, they are trying to justify funding DHS by pointing to a war that this President started without a clear strategy and without the support of the American people.

Trump's chaos is everywhere. Trump's chaos comes with a price. It is Americans who pay that price. There is chaos abroad, chaos Congress did not authorize, and chaos at home.

Let's be clear about what is happening. While families are worried about rising costs and while servicemembers' lives are at risk, Republicans want to write another blank check to an agency that is already operating with historic, unprecedented funding.

How much is this chaos costing us?

That is the question we should be asking. We know just one piece of this war: The three F-15 aircraft shot down cost $300 million.

Mr. Speaker, do you know what that $300 million could do?

It could fund 23 years of the Gabriella Miller Kids First Pediatric Research Program, 3 years of childhood cancer and birth defects for just those three F-15s that they put at risk. It would fund the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for 1 year to connect Americans with lifesaving services and a compassionate counselor. Three of those planes would pay for another year of the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, a fund that Trump wanted to zero out. He wanted to zero out this fund.

Think about it, Mr. Speaker.

What do those CDFIs mean?

They are your credit unions, the places where you get your loans for your cars and for your appliances or to help with your home. That is what he is willing to do because everything comes at a cost, and they are willing to pay money for this war of choice. That money could be better spent at home bringing down the cost of living for Americans.

We know that 60 percent of Americans support redirecting ICE funding to Medicaid because people want healthcare and stability, not raids, abuse, and chaos.

Republicans keep burning money. They keep burning money. They have that $4 trillion debt from their big, beautiful bill. We know the last time a Republican took us into war in the Middle East it cost trillions in our deficit. They are doing it again.

There they go. They are at it again.

What Democrats are asking for before we send more ICE funding is what all law enforcement uses: mandatory body cameras and judicial warrants before you break down somebody's door.

Every law enforcement in America does that.

Why can't they?

Democrats ask for no masks.

What law enforcement officers go around in masks except for theirs?

Democrats want no targeting of schools, hospitals, houses of worship, or polling places.

These are sensible, community-driven policies.

We are also asking that ICE follow the same constitutional principles that every other law enforcement agency follows.

Mr. Speaker, you can't just beat up, shoot, and kill people. It is not just Democrats saying this. Catholic bishops from border States and beyond are pleading with Congress to restore protections at places of worship, schools, and healthcare facilities so families can seek care, learn, and pray without fear.

If Republicans truly cared about security, then they would support these kinds of reforms.

Mr. Speaker, why don't you want to let people pray without fear, I ask?

Trump wanted the Department of War so he could wage war. Now he wants a reckless ICE to have dangerous amounts of money. However, Americans don't have to choose between national security and safety and constitutional protections. We can have all three. It just takes courage. It takes courage over chaos, not blank checks and not endless wars.

It is time to restore accountability before we write another blank check with a lot more zeros than poor Connor can even imagine.

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Mr. JACK. Mr. Speaker, I was half hoping the gentlewoman from New Mexico was going to rise to thank us for giving her an opportunity to rectify the wrong she inflicted upon the Department of Homeland Security 3 weeks ago when they neglected to fund it, but based on her comments, it doesn't seem to be the case.

Mr. Speaker, just to respond briefly, first and foremost, if the gentleman had listened to my opening remarks, as he suggested he did, he would know that we noted that we, in fact, funded CBP and ICE last year.

This is about funding the Coast Guard and TSA. This is what today's vote is about.

That is why we hear the consternation from the other side. It is because they take bad vote after bad vote after bad vote. We are giving them a chance to rectify that today.

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Mr. JACK. Mr. Speaker, I think it is disappointing that the gentleman from Maryland refers to funding our Border Patrol and funding those who keep our borders safe as poison pills. That is his prerogative, not mine.

Mrs. BIGGS of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Georgia for recognizing me.

Mr. Speaker, America has dealt a clear and decisive blow to the Iranian terrorist regime. In times like this, we have to stay vigilant here at home. Rogue terrorists look for ways to strike back and create chaos. In some cases, they already have.

Right now, the Department of Homeland Security is shut down. Think about that. At a time when the threat of terrorism is real and rising, those on the other side of the aisle have left the agency responsible for protecting our homeland just hanging out to dry for nearly a month.

Americans should not be alarmed, but they should take note of who prioritizes Americans' safety. DHS secures our border. DHS works to stop terrorist threats. DHS supports the law enforcement officers who keep our communities safe.

Letting it stay shut down is reckless. Stop the partisan games and protect Americans.

Mr. Speaker, this issue is personal for me. I am a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard. I still currently serve. Should I be called up, my go-bag is packed and ready.

Serving as a medical crew director in the back of an aircraft in hostile environments, I have looked wounded servicemembers in their eyes as I cared for them. As a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner, I have seen these warriors return home with tremendous weight and trauma on their minds and in their hearts and the weight of the world on their shoulders.

When we talk about supporting and praying for our troops, this isn't theoretical for me. I have lived it. Quite honestly, it is why I am here in Congress. Our men and women in uniform deserve a Congress that has their backs.

Mr. Speaker, when some of those on the other side second-guess and even go as far as telling our military to disregard their orders, that is not leadership.

Under President Trump's leadership, America dealt a decisive blow. For nearly 50 years, the Iranian regime fueled terrorism. It backed proxy militias and threatened Americans and our allies. Their chants of ``death to America'' have never been symbolic. They have been backed by violence and a relentless pursuit of nuclear weapons.

President Trump made it clear that Iran would never obtain a nuclear weapon. He gave their leaders a chance to negotiate. They chose deception. They chose delay.

When diplomacy failed, the President acted to protect the American people. That sends a message far beyond Tehran. Russia is watching. China is watching. Every adversary testing Americans' resolve is watching.

There is peace through strength. It protects American lives, and it keeps our country safe.

Ms. LEGER FERNANDEZ.

Mr. Speaker, in closing, the rule I have presented today allows the House of Representatives to carry out its responsibilities and to govern in an orderly and responsible manner for the American people.

As a reminder, a ``yes'' vote on this rule enables us to consider legislation that will fully end the Democratic shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and allows us in this body to restore funding for the agencies responsible for protecting the American people.

A ``yes'' vote on this rule ensures that the men and women serving on the front lines of our homeland security, from coastguardsmen and TSA officers to cyber defenders, law enforcement personnel, and emergency responders, have the resources and support that they need to carry out their critical missions.

A ``yes'' vote on this rule strengthens the security of the American homeland by restoring funding for the agencies responsible for counterterrorism, cybersecurity, aviation security, disaster response, and maritime security, at a time when threats to our country are increasing.

As I made clear earlier, a ``yes'' vote on this rule ensures that the rest of the Department of Homeland Security can continue its vital work, even as ICE and CBP have already been funded through H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

Finally, a ``yes'' vote on this rule allows the House to fulfill its most basic responsibility to govern and to ensure the safety of the American people is never used as a political bargaining chip.

Mr. Speaker, the consequences of leaving the Department of Homeland Security unfunded are too serious to ignore. This rule allows the House to act to restore full funding and to ensure that the agencies tasked with protecting the American people can carry out their missions without further disruption.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the rule.

The material previously referred to by Ms. Leger Fernandez is as follows:

An Amendment To H. Res. 1095 Offered By Ms. Leger Fernandez of New Mexico

Strike all after the resolving clause and insert the following:

That immediately upon adoption of this resolution, the House shall proceed to the consideration in the House of the bill (H.R. 7744) making appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, and for other purposes. All points of order against consideration of the bill are waived. An amendment in the nature of a substitute consisting of the text of H.R. 7481, as introduced, shall be considered as adopted. The bill, as amended, shall be considered as read. All points of order against provisions in the bill, as amended, are waived. The previous question shall be considered as ordered on the bill, as amended, and on any further amendment thereto, to final passage without intervening motion except: (1) one hour of debate equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking minority member of the Committee on Appropriations or their respective designees; and (2) one motion to recommit.

Sec. 2. Clause 1(c) of rule XIX and clause 8 of rule XX shall not apply to the consideration of H.R. 7744.

Sec. 3. The Clerk shall transmit to the Senate a message that the House has passed H.R. 7744 no later than three calendar days after passage.
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