[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 31 (Tuesday, February 24, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H1102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1915
             FULLY FUND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

  (Mr. CASTRO of Texas asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CASTRO of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today as part of the growing 
chorus of Americans calling for Republicans to stop playing politics 
with the safety of the American people and to fully fund the Department 
of Homeland Security.
  A small group of elected officials are holding our national security 
hostage and compromising the government's ability to guard our borders, 
patrol our waters, and protect our airports.
  Not only would this bad strategy force more than 40,000 Border Patrol 
agents and Customs and Border Protection officers out of work, but also 
40,000 Active-Duty Coast Guard military members and more than 50,000 
TSA aviation security screeners, it would cause all of these folks 
either to be out of work or to work without pay indefinitely.
  In my home State of Texas, there are more than 24,000 Homeland 
Security employees who could face similar impacts.
  If Republicans want to prove that they can lead Congress, they 
shouldn't manufacture a bogus crisis. They should fund the agency 
responsible for protecting our Nation at once.
  The American people deserve better than these unnecessary political 
games.

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