[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 24 (Thursday, February 12, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H990]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                           DHS SPENDING BILL

  (Mr. SARBANES asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge the Republican 
leadership to bring a clean funding bill for the Department of Homeland 
Security to this floor.
  The Department of Homeland Security provides vital programs and 
services that ensure the American public's safety. This Congress must 
also ensure that DHS has adequate funding to continue its important and 
effective work protecting our borders, our ports, our aviation systems, 
and all of our communities across the country. Without funding, DHS 
will be forced to shut down critical counterterrorism and natural 
disaster programs that safeguard millions of Americans.
  It is the height of irresponsibility for Republicans to hold DHS 
funding hostage for the sole purpose--and the dangerous purpose--of 
partisan politics. Instead of putting forth a clean DHS funding bill, 
Republicans put forward legislation that is littered with unrelated 
policy riders.
  We all agree that withholding funding for DHS is bad for our Nation's 
safety and security, so let's pass a clean DHS funding bill and debate 
these separate issues on their own merits. It is time for the House to 
pass a clean DHS funding proposal and stop playing games with the 
safety and the security of the American people.

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