Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 140, the Frank LoBiondo Coast Guard Authorization Act. No institution is more critical to our national defense and homeland security than the United States Coast Guard, and every day, the men and women of the Coast Guard carry out vital, life-saving missions, including drug interdiction and search and rescue. On November 9, I had the opportunity to tour the Coast Guard's District 11 facilities in Alameda, California. I was deeply impressed by the dedication and professionalism of the Coast Guard officials I met. However, I was also troubled by the state of some of Coast Guard's equipment. Resources for the Coast Guard are clearly needed, now more than ever, so it is deeply unfortunate that the Trump administration has sought to cut the Coast Guard's budget by as much as 14 percent and has transferred millions of dollars in Coast Guard funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Congress should not allow the Trump administration to raid the Coast Guard budget to implement its anti-immigrant policies. But today, I urge all my colleagues to support S. 140, and I applaud the Chairman and Ranking Member for their hard work bringing this important measure to the floor. Likewise, it is vitally important that, as negotiations regarding the Fiscal Year 2019 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act continue, Congress include sufficient funding for the Coast Guard so that it has the resources it needs to carry out its vital missions.…”