[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 11496]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   AMERICAN PEOPLE TO PAY FOR A WALL

  (Mr. AGUILAR asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. AGUILAR. Madam Speaker, the appropriations bills we are talking 
about today should be about providing critical funds to keep our 
servicemembers safe, take care of our veterans, and support necessary 
defense programs. It should not be about helping President Trump keep a 
campaign promise that has no grounding in reality.
  House Republicans' reckless decision to force the American people to 
pay for a wall that does nothing to increase our security or to solve 
real problems facing our immigration system is both wasteful and 
counterproductive.
  This wall will cost American taxpayers $1.6 billion. That is $1.6 
billion that could go toward helping veterans or getting our 
servicemembers the resources they need to stay safe while they risk 
their lives defending our country.
  Rather than come to the table to work on meaningful bipartisan and 
long-term solutions to fix our broken immigration system, House 
Republicans would rather give American families' paychecks to President 
Trump so he can build this wall.
  We are here to do the people's work. Building this wall doesn't do 
the people's work. It soothes the President's ego at the expense of 
American families.
  I urge my colleague to oppose this bill if this dangerous and 
divisive policy rider is included.

                          ____________________