Vela: Vote for Budget is Vote for Trump's Wall

Statement

Today, Rep. Filemon Vela (D-TX) released the following statement on the omnibus spending bill to be considered by the House today:

"I have consistently opposed any effort to build a border wall along the US-Mexico border. Mexico is our ally, not our enemy. The US-Mexico economic relationship is vibrant and robust. Mexico is the United States' third--largest trading partner and the second--largest import market for United States goods. Mexico is the number one foreign export market for goods made in the State of Texas. In my view, not only should we refrain from building additional structures dividing the two nations, but we should tear down any existing barriers.

Although I support and worked hard to ensure funding for some of the programs included in the omnibus spending bill, I believe that a vote for the omnibus bill is a vote for Trump's wall.

In particular, I fully support provisions that expand funding for Pell Grants for college students to attend classes year round, allow our region's shrimping industry to continue to exist, and direct the US Department of Agriculture to address the needs of the South Texas citrus industry. Unfortunately, the bill does not include the U.S. cotton industry's cottonseed proposal, leaving the industry without a clear path forward. The livelihood of cotton farmers depends largely on the success of this program. We have spent two years working toward consensus, and the failure to include this common sense solution is exceptionally disappointing to all those who worked to resolve this issue.

United States taxpayers already spent $2.3 billion from 2007 to 2015 to construct pedestrian and vehicle fencing along the border. The fencing resulted in the division of property that belongs to U.S. citizens and the division of two partner countries, the United States and Mexico. The omnibus bill continues to squander taxpayers' money by allocating $296 million to replace 40 miles of fencing in Arizona and California. It is telling that such a simple replacement of outdated and unnecessary fencing will come at such an exorbitant price, and begs the question, "when will the bleeding ever stop?" The fencing expense, along with the $49 million for land acquisition and border gates, represents a major land grab, which threatens the foundation of our nation's deeply-rooted respect for the rights of private property owners. For these reasons and others, I will vote NO on the omnibus spending bill."

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