Home

Madam Speaker, I rise today in strong support of the negotiated appropriations package.

Today is zero hour, we're out of time. Today's vote may be the most consequential of your lifetime. Right now our troops around the world are facing multiple threats. Our supremacy on land, sea air, and space is being challenged, and our allies are under attack.

I could go through a long list of vital programs and funding included in this bill. The wins for our troops, the historic funding for innovation and counterdrug activities. The focus on countering China, the time is short, and the stakes have never been higher.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

I rise today in support of the package of appropriations bills under consideration.

As the Chairman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, I’d like to thank the Full Committee chair, Ms. Granger for her leadership in assembling funding packages that reflect strong Republican priorities.

The crisis at our southwest border has raged under the Biden Administration. More than two million migrants illegally crossed the border each of the last two years.

That is not sustainable, so this bill makes key investments to secure the border, expand detention, improve technology, and deter illegal immigration.

Under this bill, we provide 500 million dollars to reach an end strength of 22,000 Border Patrol Agents consistent with H.R. 2.

To counter fentanyl, the bill provides 305 million dollars for non-intrusive inspection equipment at our nation’s ports of entry.