[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 9]
[House]
[Pages 11971-11972]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      DON'T POLITICIZE NATIONAL SECURITY POLICYMAKING IN CONGRESS

  (Mrs. MURPHY of Florida asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mrs. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Speaker, the House is currently 
considering the minibus, which would fund certain Federal agencies in 
the next fiscal year.
  As a former Pentagon aide, I have opposed efforts to politicize 
national security policymaking in Congress. That

[[Page 11972]]

is why I introduced a bill to bar political operatives from serving on 
the National Security Council, and was proud when Steve Bannon was 
removed from the NSC.
  The minibus provides robust funding for the Defense Department, the 
same funding that I proudly voted to authorize as a member of the Armed 
Services Committee. Sadly, House leadership has taken a strong 
bipartisan bill and contaminated it by adding a provision assigning 
$1.6 billion to construct a border wall.
  This provision is opposed by public officials from both parties who 
actually live along the southwest border, and it will do nothing to 
keep my constituents in central Florida safe. The money could be better 
spent to expand an underfunded counterterrorism program that Orlando 
has been excluded from, or to enhance security at our air and seaports.
  In short, this funding should be used to give the American people 
real security, not politically motivated gimmicks.

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