Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2014

Floor Speech

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Mr. MURPHY of Florida. Mr. Chair, I rise today to offer an amendment to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act that would cut over $300 million from a program that is supposed to cost taxpayers nothing. If you, like me, are wondering how we got to this point of paying for a cost-free program, keep listening.

Customs and Border Patrol, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, conducts agricultural quarantine inspections on incoming vessels and passengers. This is an essential service that protects our Nation's agriculture and wildlife.

CBP and USDA have claimed that the cost of this program is covered by imposing fees on incoming vessels and travelers--a sensible approach. However, when the Government Accountability Office last examined the program in 2011, the fees covered only 60 percent of the program's cost. As a result, the taxpayers had to cover a $325 million shortfall.

I recently introduced the bipartisan SAVE Act with the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Joyce), which would implement recommendations by the GAO to push Customs and Border Patrol, along with the USDA, to adjust its fee structure and administration to fully cover the cost of this program.

My amendment would prevent Customs and Border Patrol from continuing to use taxpayer dollars to subsidize incoming vessels and travelers and make the program truly fee-supported.

My amendment would free up remaining CBP funds to do what they should be doing: securing the homeland and facilitating travel, tourism, and trade. More tourism and more trade mean more American jobs.

Mr. Chair, I think we can all agree that this is a commonsense amendment that saves taxpayers dollars and improves the environment for greater job growth. I urge my colleagues on both sides to support this cost-saving amendment.

I yield back the balance of my time.

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