Joyce Remarks During Floor Consideration of H.R. 2882, The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024

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.

This bill ensures ICE has the detention capacity it needs to enforce the law by providing 41,500 detention beds.

Without this funding, ICE would have released more than 10,000 current detainees who pose a threat to our communities.

The bill also provides the Coast Guard with two Fast Response Cutters to counter Chinese aggression in the Pacific. Additionally, this bill fully funds the Coast Guard’s military pay raise, keeping our promise of supporting our troops.

Simply put—this bill ensures that the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, who work tirelessly on our behalf, have the resources and tools they need to protect this great nation.

It reflects strong Republican priorities, cuts wasteful spending, and prioritizes securing the border.

We cannot surrender this progress for a harmful government shutdown.

I ask my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.