[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 14, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E66]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2015

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                               speech of

                        HON. NYDIA M. VELAZQUEZ

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 13, 2015

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 240) making 
     appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for 
     the fiscal year ending September 30, 2015, and for other 
     purposes:

  Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Mr. Chair, when it comes to protecting our homeland, 
it is incumbent on all of us--Democrats and Republicans--to put 
politics aside and work together. Yet, the exercise we are going 
through today risks not funding the Department of Homeland Security.
  We know that elements of this bill blocking the President's 
immigration reforms will not become law. Republican Senators are 
already expressing their skepticism about this approach. And, the 
President would veto this bill if it passed Congress with these 
provisions. So as the clock ticks down on funding for our homeland 
security agencies, why are we wasting time on this debate?
  Sadly, the answer is that the majority party is catering to its 
extreme wing--anti-immigrant, tea party Republicans who are obsessively 
focused on blocking the President.
  Mr. Chair, let's be clear--the President acted when this House did 
not. Last Congress, the Senate passed legislation to fix our broken 
immigration laws. However, this body dawdled, delayed and ultimately 
did nothing. Finally, the President was forced to move forward alone. 
He took sensible steps--backed by legal precedent and well within his 
authority--that will resolve some of the worst flaws in our broken 
immigration system.
  Now, House Republicans are saying that unless they can block the 
President and punish immigrants, they will jeopardize funding for the 
Secret Service, for the Coast Guard and the TSA. At a time when the 
world is reeling from horrific terrorist attacks in Paris, how can my 
colleagues play politics with funding for these agencies? This is 
cynical politics at its worst--and we must reject it.

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