The Arizona Congressional delegation was split in yesterday’s H.R. 240 which will fund the Department of Homeland Security at $39.7 billion in discretionary funding through September 30, 2015. This funding level is $400 million over FY14.
The vote split along Party lines for the most part, except newly elected Republican Congresswoman Martha McSally broke ranks to join 25 other Republicans in voting against the Blackburn amendment. That amendment will provide that no funds may be used to consider new, renewal or previously denied DACA applications.
The vote for the Aderholt/Mulvaney/Barletta amendment broke across party lines as well, with the exception of 7 Republicans who voted no. The seven Republicans to vote no, included Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), Renee Elmers (R-N.C.), Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), Robert Dold (R-Ill.), and David Valadao (R-Calif.).
Congressman Paul Gosar, released the following statement:
“I am pleased to see the House act today to pass legislation that prohibits a single penny from being used to carry-out President Obama’s illegal executive amnesty orders. For far too long, previous Congresses have simply failed to uphold the fundamental checks and balances which protect our Constitutional Republic. This rogue President needs to be reined in and held accountable for his violations of the rule of law.
“Over the course of recent Democrat and Republican administrations, the executive branch has slowly and unilaterally expanded its ability to bypass Congress and impose its will without the consent of Representatives elected by the American people. Now, Congress is faced with President Obama’s egregious and unconstitutional executive amnesty order which threatens to create a precedent for ideological lawlessness which cannot be reversed. House Republicans acted boldly and aggressively today to fight back against this lawlessness on behalf of the American people and future generations. I hope the Senate will act swiftly and pass this commonsense legislation.”
Congresswoman McSally released the following statement:
U.S. Representative Martha McSally today voted to pass legislation to fund the Department of Homeland Security through fiscal year 2015. The bill provides additional funding for Customs and Border Protection agents to do their jobs while improving security along our border.
Congressman Matt Salmon released the following statement:
“Underscoring our system of government is the idea that the Rule of Law is supreme. The President violated that premise when he tried to rewrite our immigration laws and ‘legalize’ millions of illegal immigrants in violation of the will of the people.
“Today, we’ve taken our first step to stopping his unlawful actions by fully funding our Department of Homeland Security for the rest of Fiscal Year 2015, while removing all funding for this illegal and unconstitutional initiative. Congress has the power of the purse, and I’m elated that the House has chosen to use it to rein in an executive who has clearly demonstrated his unwillingness to acquiesce to the will of the people.”
Rep. Salmon authored an amendment which was included in H.R. 240 expressing the sense of Congress that the Executive Branch should not pursue policies that disadvantage the hiring of U.S. citizens and those lawfully present in the United States by making it economically advantageous to hire workers who came to the country illegally.
Congressman Raúl Grijalva released the following statement:
“While Republicans claim to be the party of security, nothing could be more dangerous than playing political games with funding for the Department of Homeland Security – especially at a time of heightened alert,” Rep. Grijalva said. “It’s absurd and irresponsible to hold this budget hostage, and to once again threaten a partial government shutdown. These funds are intended to keep Americans safe – not serve the ideological agendas of politicians with axes to grind. The Republicans continue to include senseless bed mandates and harmful family detention funding in their funding bills; its time they get a reality check on the security needs of this country.”
Grijalva’s comments follow the inclusion of amendments to H.R. 240, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2015, intended to undermine executive action taken by President Obama to address our failing immigration system. Specifically, the amendments would deny the use of any funds, including collected fees, to carry out the policy, or to provide benefits, such as work authorization permits, to undocumented immigrants. Additionally, they make undocumented survivors of domestic violence a top priority for deportation and bar the administration from using funds for any policy of deferred action on deportation. Republicans targeted fees because implementation is fully paid for by user fees.
“For nearly two years, this country waited for Congressional Republicans to join their Senate colleagues in addressing our broken immigration system,” Grijalva continued. “As if their refusal to act wasn’t bad enough, their current tactics make clear that they’d rather enflame our immigration problems than ever see them solved. But undermining the public’s security is a length to which no politician should be willing to go for the sake of a political victory. It’s an abdication of their duties as elected leaders, and a violation of the oath of office they took just days ago.”
Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick released the following statement:
“I support a robust, fully funded Homeland Security. What I do not support is cynically tying this agency’s funding to a measure aimed directly DREAMers – young people who were brought here as children and call our country home. Telling these kids they cannot attend school, contribute to our economy or enlist in our military is like telling them the American dream was meant for someone else. Instead of taking aim at children, Congress should pass a bipartisan Homeland Security bill – like the one both chambers negotiated last November – and then get back to the important business of comprehensive immigration reform.”
Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema released the following statement:
“Congress is jeopardizing Arizona’s security by playing this dangerous and irresponsible game. This bill prevents Homeland Security from prioritizing criminals and terrorists who represent the biggest threat to our country, and it cuts funding for the Southern Border and Approaches Campaign intended to keep our southern border secure.
“As Senator Flake has said, Congress should not use a national security funding bill to argue immigration differences.
“We need to work together in a bi-partisan way to fix our immigration problems, and I’ll continue to reach out to my colleagues to help find solutions. It is going to take hard work, but Arizona has waited too long for the promise of immigration reform that secures our borders, addresses our workforce needs, and creates a tough but fair path to citizenship that includes paying fines and taxes. We cannot wait any longer.”