Political Quotes

“Ranking Member, and Chairwoman Lowey, I rise today to lend my strong support to all of the appropriations bills that will be before us today, but specifically as the ranking member on the Homeland Security Subcommittee of the Appropriations Committee, I am here to speak about the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, specifically. As we have heard today from speakers on both sides of the aisle, this is not an ideal bill, but I think it is a very good and strong bill. It is a good bill crafted in a difficult environment--probably one of the most difficult environments I have seen in my almost 10-year tenure. I tell you, Madam Speaker, it is worthy of our support, as are all the bills here today. I specifically, though, as the ranking member, the highest Republican on this subcommittee, want to thank Chairwoman Roybal-Allard. She is the head Democrat and we have worked well together. We don't view the world and we don't view this bill in total agreement, but we got it done, and that is very important, again, in these trying times. This Homeland Security bill before us provides nearly $1.4 billion for continued construction of border barriers in high-priority areas identified by Customs and Border Protection and provides funding for the same level of detention beds as we had in fiscal year 2019. It also maintains the same transfer and reprogramming authorities.…”