[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2306]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




       PASS A CLEAN DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING BILL

  (Mr. CARDENAS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. CARDENAS. Mr. Speaker, I am compelled to call attention to the 
irresponsible actions of my Republican colleagues. Holding the 
Department of Homeland Security and our national security hostage is 
reckless and irresponsible. This politically motivated action puts the 
physical and economic safety of our people and of our country in 
jeopardy.
  The Republicans claim that they have already passed a bill. Well, on 
a technicality, they might be right, but when you look at it, they have 
not, and they have been acting irresponsibly.
  More than 130,000 agents and officers from the Border Patrol, the 
TSA, the Coast Guard, and the Secret Service will continue to work 
despite having their livelihoods denied them. Not only is this 
endangering our national security, this is directly harming the men and 
women who have sworn to protect all of us.
  How can we treat those so disgracefully who serve our Nation? What 
message are we sending to the American people?
  I implore my Republican colleagues to put aside their personal 
politics and consider what is best for our country and our people. We 
have 15 days left. Let us pass a clean Department of Homeland Security 
funding bill to protect the safety of our Nation and to respect the 
people who have sworn to serve us.

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