WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Warren Davidson released the following statement after voting not to support the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019, which passed the House.

 

“First, this is a package of spending bills that spends even more than the OMNIBUS that passed last March. For the additional spending, the core problem of securing the border is not solved.

 

“While I am pleased that Speaker Pelosi gave into more border funding, the $1.37 billion to help secure our border falls far short of what is needed to protect Americans from the cartels. This bill falls short of both the experts’ expressed need, and the President’s more modest budget request.

 

“Further, by exacerbating gaps in federal law, this bill gives amnesty to illegal aliens who sponsor unaccompanied children coming into the U.S., prohibiting ICE from deporting traffickers, criminals, and gang members, if they are in the presence of an unaccompanied child. While this seems compassionate, it will have the exact opposite effect. More migrants will be induced to travel with children. More children will arrive at our borders to be confronted with the tragically broken status quo. This provision will prevent ICE from doing their job and put many Americans at risk.

 

“Rather than give our men and women charged with the resources they need to accomplish the mission America has given them, this bill fails to confront the national emergency illegal immigration is causing.

 

“This bill fails on multiple levels. Not only did I vote against it, I cosponsored legislation that would keep the government open while more productive negotiations could continue. Sadly, a national emergency declaration will likely prove even slower as the resistance movement continues to frustrate efforts to solve the problems that have kept this persistent crisis unresolved for far too long.”

 

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