Providing for Disposition of Senate Amendment to H.R. Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2026
Floor Speech
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Mr. ROY. Mr. Speaker, let's be clear about why we are here. Our Democrat colleagues created a national crisis by purposely allowing millions of people into the United States in violation of our laws, resulting in the deaths of tens of thousands of Americans.
People like Jocelyn Nungaray whose mom I talked to today, who is watching what is happening here in realtime. It is people like Laken Riley, Rachel Morin, and tens of thousands of our children who died from fentanyl poisoning, all created by purposeful, political decisions by the previous administration and my colleagues on the other side of the aisle.
Now, we sit here today and my colleagues falsely claim that CBP and ICE are funded. The fact is, first, line staff are being mostly funded by virtue of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, but it leaves out civilian and support staff. That is the truth, factual truth.
Today, we had a quote from one of them. It says: The Senate bill paid TSA, but thousands of CBP and ICE professional staff will not be paid. The last paid workday for me was February 13. Now Senate on paid vacation until April 13. That is a guarantee for 2 months no pay. Very likely we won't be paid until May if Speaker Johnson lets this bill pass.
That is existing staff, watching what we are doing in realtime.
Second, not one, not one of my Democratic colleagues voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act they are hiding behind right now saying that the staff is paid. Not one.
Last night, yes, there was a voice vote in the middle of the night. This comment that somehow there was massive votes in support of this bill is simply not true.
There was a voice vote. The only, and I mean the only, barrier to getting funding for our law enforcement personnel and Border Patrol and ICE who are standing on the line to defend our country are five to seven Democrats in the Senate who refused to let the bill move through while allowing it to be filibustered at a 60-vote threshold.
Sheridan Gorman is dead, a student at Loyola, who was killed by Jose Medina, who was illegally present in the United States, who came in in 2023, and this just happened. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle do not want ICE doing their job, do not want Border Patrol doing their job, and are right here today refusing to do the job of funding this fully.
Mr. Speaker, I stand with Speaker Johnson. I stand with my colleagues. We should stand with Border Patrol. We should stand with ICE, and we should defend the United States of America.
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