Lucille Roybal-Allard: “I want to begin by thanking the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Mr. Fleischmann…”

“I want to begin by thanking the Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Mr. Fleischmann, for his professionalism and partnership in putting this bill together. I don't believe either one of us is satisfied with all aspects of the bill, but I am confident that he and our staffs put their best foot forward in trying to find compromise and resolution. When excluding major disaster funding and funding for overseas contingency operations by the Coast Guard, Division D of H.R. 1158 appropriates $50.5 billion for the Department of Homeland Security. That total is $1.2 billion below the budget request and $1.1 billion above the FY2019 enacted level, including an increase of $325 million for cybersecurity and infrastructure security. This bill significantly enhances oversight of our immigration and detention enforcement activities, including increases of: $10 million for a new Office of Immigration Detention Ombudsman to conduct unannounced inspections of detention facilities and investigate and resolve complaints about misconduct by DHS personnel; $20 million for the Inspector General for oversight of detention and enforcement activities; and $14 million for ICE' s Office of Professional Responsibility to increase the frequency and rigor of detention inspections.…”