Boehner: Homeland Funding Bill Falls Short on Fiscal Responsibility and Border Security

Via email:

WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement opposing passage today of H.R. 2638, the appropriations funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security:

“This bill represents another step in the majority’s full-blown retreat from fiscal responsibility, spending billions more than was requested by President Bush in the balanced-budget proposal he outlined earlier this year.

“Most significantly, this measure fails to fully fund the Secure Fence Act that was enacted by Republicans in the last Congress to build hundreds of miles of additional fencing along our southern border and to modernize our border security infrastructure. Further, the majority voted against an amendment by Rep. John Carter (R-TX) to strike new bureaucratic hurdles in the bill the Homeland Security Department must overcome in completing the construction of the fence. Securing our borders and reinforcing our Border Patrol agents is critical to reforming our immigration system.

“The majority’s budget calls for the largest tax increase in U.S. history. Those tax increases, coupled with the excessive and unnecessary spending in these appropriations bills, will wreak havoc on America ’s economy. House Republicans remained committed to holding the majority accountable on excessive Washington spending and we will sustain the President veto of this bill.”