Providing for Consideration of the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1314, Ensuring Tax Exempt Organizations the Right to Appeal Act, and Providing for Consideration of the Senate Amendments to H.R. 644, Fighting Hunger Incentive Act of 2015
Floor Speech
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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the rule to consider the Senate amendment to H.R. 644, Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015.
I strongly support legislation to update the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) as it exists today. That said, I must voice my great dismay with the inclusion of H.R. 878, the ``United States Customs and Border Protection Authorization Act,'' in a vehicle that circumvents regular order and is under threat of veto.
Enactment of CBP authorization legislation could help clarify and enhance Congressional intent for this critical agency as well as the oversight of its activities. In the previous Congress, the Committee on Homeland Security marked up and reported such legislation, which was subsequently considered and passed by the House. Because authorizing such a large and important agency requires a thoughtful and thorough approach, H.R. 878 should have gone through regular order this Congress.
There are 10 new Members of Congress serving on the Committee on Homeland Security this Congress. Upending regular order, as the House Leadership is doing, effectively prevents my Committee and its newest members from applying the knowledge we acquired through oversight about CBP programs and activities to improving the legislation before us today.
Moreover, the text of the legislation in which these important provisions are included was just made available at midnight on Wednesday, and we are now considering it under a rule that does not allow for amendments. By limiting the ability of my Members to weigh in on the CBP Authorization provisions, even if only on the House floor, we are denied the opportunity to address changes that the Ways and Means Committee made to the text.
Again, Mr. Speaker, I support authorizing U.S. Customs and Border Protection but am deeply disappointed that the fate of this non-controversial legislation, which was overwhelmingly approved by the 113th Congress on suspension, is now tied to controversial measures that the President may well veto. This, Mr. Speaker, is no way to legislate.
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