Congressman Gonzalez Issues Statement on Opposition to $1.3 Trillion Omnibus Funding Bill

Statement

Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) issued the following statement regarding his vote against the $1.3 trillion omnibus appropriations package for Fiscal Year 2018. The House passed the bill on Thursday, March 22, 2018, by a vote of 256-167. The Senate advanced the measure by a vote of 65-32. President Donald J. Trump signed the funding package this afternoon.

"In my first term alone, I have witnessed the ability for members with opposing views to find common ground and create legislation that benefits all Americans," Congressman Gonzalez said. "This week, we were presented with a 2,200-page omnibus bill, then expected to vote on it in less than twenty-four hours. On the surface, the package reflected a bipartisan agreement -- the outcome of careful and thoughtful negotiations. But we know that the devil is always in the details.

"While I was pleased to see a robust investment in critical USDA programs for cattle fever tick eradication, boll weevil eradication, citrus greening, and sorghum sugarcane aphid research, I was disappointed to see hundreds of millions dedicated to the construction of levee walls and bollard fencing in the Rio Grande Valley. Time and time again, I have implored the administration to not go forth with plans to build a physical barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. I have called on them to pursue 21st century solutions to border security.

"I voted "no' because I do not support the construction of physical barriers along our border. I voted "no' because I believe that a physical wall does not make us more secure. A physical wall is a waste of taxpayer money. The Santa Ana Wildlife Refuge was spared this time, but the fight is not over."

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