Bennie Thompson

In closing, I would be remiss if I did not mention the looming funding crisis at DHS.

Within the next 5 years, the Secret Service will provide protection through two Presidential election cycles, two Democratic national conventions, two Republican national conventions, the 75th anniversary of the United Nations, and other…

I offer a privileged resolution and ask for its immediate consideration. The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: H. Res. 99 In the House of Representatives, U.S., February 10, 2015: Resolved, That the House has heard with profound…

We have to have the complement of staff necessary to address all the threats that we come in contact with.

A lot of those reductions have not allowed us to really do effective committee work.

We have to have good staff, we have to conduct good work. We have to have the ability to travel, to do field hearings.

Our biggest challenge is several, Madam Chair. Our enemy is not the enemy we started with.

I ask that you help us fulfill our critical mission and role, and fund us at the levels that will allow us to hire the necessary staff, keep talented and experienced individuals, and continue rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse.

I just want to hold the line. I don't want our budget reduced from what it has been.

I have said to the chairman, and I am sure he agrees, is that not only must we investigate, not only must we reform, not only must we make sure that government works effectively and efficiently, but at the end of every day we should have…

I would like to express my condolences to the family of 26-year-old Kayla Mueller, an American aid worker who was taken hostage by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Are we really ready to stand before the American people, those who trust and value that we recognize their needs, and declare for the sake of partisanship we are going to make our Nation more vulnerable by not funding DHS?

Without a fully-funded Department of Homeland Security, some of our key methods of identifying terrorists and preventing terrorist travel will be at risk.

Not local. Federal sharing information with locals. The other way.

So do you require a monitoring of that process?

After the horrific attacks of September 11, 2001, multiple layers of security were put in place to protect our aviation system.

I thank the Chairman for holding today's hearing.

The threat is evolving. As it evolves, we cannot remain stagnant.

Mr. Chairman, this is concerning.

I thank the gentleman for the additional 30 seconds. The majority decries the administration's immigration actions, but offers no solution or alternatives of its own. Instead, it plays and replays the game of we will or we won't fund the…

I have no further speakers. I am prepared to close. Mr. Speaker, in closing I would like to thank Subcommittee Chairman Hudson and Ranking Member Richmond for working in collaboration to develop this important legislation. I would also…

I have one speaker before I close. I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security of the Committee on Homeland Security.

In the face of this crisis and the absence of Congressional action, the President acted in a measured way that is likely to improve both our Nation's security and economy.

Time and again, the House Republican Leadership has been unwilling to act to fix our broken immigration system.

Since 1956, Presidents have granted temporary immigration relief to impacted individuals on 39 separate occasions; therefore, it would seem that changes outlined by President Obama on November 20 are not outside the bounds of Presidential…