Date: 2015-02-25
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H

Mr. Speaker. today I rise with a question: Should America be brought to the brink of her own security and safety? With that question. I ask my friends on the other side of the aisle. the Republicans and the Speaker. to put on the floor of the House the full funding of the Department of Homeland Security. Mr. Speaker. I had the privilege of beginning my tenure on this committee in the aftermath of the tragedy on 9111. Some of us who served at that time were able to go to the site after 91 11. We were able to go soon enough to see some of those who were in the midst of recovering. since the first responders of New York refused to leave anyone behind. It was a devastating and emotional time. but the resilience of that time also reflected Americas values. I remember very strongly standing on the steps of the House. Republicans and Democrats. singing the song "God Bless America." What we have come to today is that we are frivolously using these political tactics of taking political security over national security and rejecting our responsibility of ensuring that the men and women who are on the front lines for the security of this Nation can continue their jobs. First. Mr. Speaker. let me say that there is a court order that has temporarily issued an injunction. That court in Texas did not in any way assess the constitutionality of the Presidents executive actions. Why? Because he has the authority. His comments that have been repeated over and over again about his lack of authority were. yes. he does not have the authority to convey an immigration status. His executive actions are not on immigration status. They are simply keeping families from being torn apart and mothers and fathers and children from being deported. It is not an immigration status. It is a stay of deportation. And so the fuss that is being made impacts the TSA officer tragically shot in a Los Angeles airport. or New York or Houston or Dallas or Chicago or RaleighDurham. that TSA officer who stands on the front lines of our security and we look them in the eye and tell them they cannot be paid. You know. Mr. Speaker. when the shutdown happened before. it was Democrats who had to retroactively ensure that those workers were paid. We want border security? We wont be paying our Border Patrol agents or ICE agents. Even though it is suggested that fees will take care of it. there are 30.000 employees that the fees will not take care of. So I rise today pleading to have my friends acknowledge that. first of all. they are wrong on the executive actions. As we go to a hearing in Judiciary. I will be able to show that these individuals will probably be vetted more extensively than many others in the immigration process. Fourteen provisions have to be utilized before they can be eligible for the executive action the President has suggested. But what I am going to say. Mr. Speaker. as I started by saying. is that we are bringing America to the brink. In the midst of my comments. I indicated that I remember how we came together in the tragedy of 9111. Well. we have a tragedy right now. We have a raging ISIS and ISIL. we have an unknown terrorist threat. and we know that the United States. although strong. stands. as the rest of the world does. needing to be prepared for those who want to be individualized. franchised terrorists. I take my responsibility seriously. I believe in the Constitution. I even believe in language that indicates. as we say often in the Declaration of Independence. that we all are created equal. and language in the Constitution that says we have come to form a more perfect Union. This is not perfect. and this can be remedied. I ask the Speaker to put this bill on the floor of the House in the name of firefighters and police officers and ICE officers and grants going to cities for using their best tactics. fusion centers that deal with terrorismin their name. and many others. like Border Patrol. ICE. as I indicated. the Secret Service. as I indicated. TSA agents. parts of FAA. and FEMA. when the North is freezing and needs that kind of assistance. In the name of the people of the United States of America. how much pleading do I need to do? As a member of the Homeland Security Committee believing in those innocent families who have come here to do nothing more than to work on behalf of their families and desire to be united. on behalf of the mothers and fathers. Mr. Speaker. I ask that the Speaker put on the floor of the House a clean DHS bill so that we can vote now. now. now.