OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Pass the Homeland Security Appropriations Bill

Floor Speech

Date: Feb. 12, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: National Security Government Budget and Spending

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Mr. AGUILAR. Mr. Speaker, today, once again, we find ourselves on the verge of a shutdown--because Congress can't do its job and pass funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

Mr. Speaker, over a year ago, the Senate passed a bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform plan--a commonsense plan--that the House failed to pass. The House has failed to pass anything to address immigration reform, forcing the President to act.

And now, Congress is playing politics, trying to roll back the President's reforms and threatening to force the American people to pay the price for Congress' inability to agree on funding to protect our homeland.

Mr. Speaker, we cannot risk American jobs, lives, and the national security of the United States. We need to pass the Homeland Security Appropriations bill. We face many threats around the world. We cannot play games here.

To my colleagues I ask you: Is it more important to score political points, or is it more important to safeguard our national security?

Mr. Speaker, I am urging you today to bring a clean appropriations bill to the floor so we can fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. I urge my colleagues to join this effort.

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