Hilda L. Solis: “I rise in opposition to the Ose amendment to H.R. 10, and I refuse to play environmental politics with our national…”

“I rise in opposition to the Ose amendment to H.R. 10, and I refuse to play environmental politics with our national security. This amendment is nothing more than an extreme and unnecessary attempt to circumvent the ongoing approval and construction process and exempt construction of the fence from 16 public health, cultural heritage, and environmental regulations. The U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection and the California Coastal Commission are currently in negotiations now over the completion of this security barrier. In fact, they are scheduled to meet again October 26 of this year. According to the California Coastal Commission: "Feasible alternatives are available that would significantly lessen adverse impacts to coastal zone resources and still will enable the California Border Patrol to meet its border patrol needs." Supporters of this amendment have shown no evidence to prove that each of the 16 cultural heritage, public health, and environmental regulations it seeks to undermine is blocking completion of the security barrier. How is the executive order on environmental justice blocking completion of this security barrier?”