[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 14, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H397]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FULLY FUND HOMELAND SECURITY
(Mr. ENGEL asked and was given permission to address the House for 1
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I want to express my deep disappointment in
the votes that were just taken by the House.
We should be fully funding Homeland Security in this country. In
light of what went on in Paris, in light of September 11, in light of
the fact that there are terrorist cells, we need the Department of
Homeland Security to be fully funded.
If there are differences of opinion with the President on the
immigration bill, then that should be fought in an immigration bill,
but we shouldn't mix apples with oranges.
My mother used to say, ``You shouldn't cut off your nose to spite
your face.'' That is exactly what this House did just before: we cut
off our nose to spite our face.
To prove a point of dissatisfaction with the President, we cut funds
for Homeland Security. That is an irresponsible act, and I really wish
it would be reversed. We need to fully fund Homeland Security. The
fight on immigration is the fight on immigration. Let's not mix apples
with oranges, to quote another metaphor.
I am terribly disappointed, and I say to my colleagues that the
Department of Homeland Security needs to be fully funded. We should be
adding funds to keep our people safe, not pulling them away.
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