OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024

Floor Speech

Date: March 22, 2024
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. CUELLAR. Madam Speaker, as the ranking member, I live at the border. I don't just go visit the border. I know the border. This is a strong border security bill that we passed in a bipartisan, commonsense way.

This bill takes away all the poisonous riders and adds bipartisan riders. It adds the largest number of Border Patrol agents, 22,000 agents. It adds CBP officers at the bridges so they can stop fentanyl. It adds support staff so they can support the agents. It adds money to air marines so they can do their work and counter drones. It adds money for the TSA so they can have pay equity. It adds money to the food and shelter program, which is important for the border community. It adds beds that are being used right now, even up to 41,700 beds. It adds money for deportation when aliens don't have their rights after they get processed. It fully funds reunification efforts for families that were unjustly separated. It adds money for the Border Patrol.

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Mr. CUELLAR. Madam Speaker, it adds money to Stonegarden so local law enforcement can do their work.

I would say, Madam Speaker, this is the strongest border security bill that we have. It is fair. I ask folks to support this bill.

Again, I live at the border. I don't go visit. This is a strong Homeland Security bill.

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