Foxx Opening Remarks on H.R. 8029, H. Res. 1128, H.R. 7084, and H.R. 5103
As prepared for delivery:
Good afternoon, the Committee will come to order. Without objection, the Chair is authorized to declare a recess at any time.
Today, the Rules Committee is convening to consider four measures: H. Res. 1128, H.R. 5103, H.R. 7084, and H.R. 8029.
H. Res. 1128 and H.R. 8029, two separate measures pertaining to the Department of Homeland Security, express the support of the House of Representatives for the Department of Homeland Security and allocate full funding for the agency respectively.
For over a month, DHS has suffered severe disruptions to its operational posture – we have seen it, experienced it, and learned about it extensively through other various mediums.
More than 60,000 TSA officers are currently working unpaid and nearly 400 have resigned.
Meanwhile, passengers are forced to wait in line for hours to get through airport security.
In addition, among those working unpaid are 18,500 essential emergency response staff from FEMA, nearly 900 cybersecurity experts at CISA, over 9,000 Coast Guard civilian personnel, and 7,700 civilian staff of the US Secret Service.
This madness, and the misguided obstruction for over a month on the part of our Democrat colleagues, must be put to an end.
At what point will our Democrat colleagues say enough is enough and vote alongside us to fully fund DHS?
Will it take a large-scale attack on our very soil for them to come to their senses and end their blockade? I sure hope that is not the case.
Will it take even further detrimental disruptions to the lives of the American people for them to change their minds?
Many people are asking these exact questions – the delay in funding DHS is egregious to say the least.
H.R. 5103, the Make the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful Act would require the development and implementation of a program under the jurisdiction of the Secretary of the Interior to renew the District of Columbia through the removal of graffiti, enhanced private-sector collaboration, and restoration of Federal public monuments.
Further, it would establish a Commission to coordinate and collaborate across Federal agencies, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia to create joint priorities to enable the full enforcement of Federal and local laws within the District.
Our capital city should be a model that the rest of the nation should look to.
Everyone who lives, visits, and commutes here should be able enjoy a city that is as safe as it is clean.
This is certainly another measure worthy of bipartisan support through and through.
Finally, we turn to H.R. 7084, the bipartisan Defending American Property Abroad Act, which would institute prohibitions to any nation within the Western Hemisphere with a free trade agreement with the U.S. that unlawfully seizes American assets.
This legislation yields an overdue tune up to U.S. maritime security law, which will serve as a serious boon to the nation.
It provides the President the authority to deny entry into U.S. ports for vessels that use ports or terminals in Western Hemisphere countries where American-owned ports, harbors, or marine terminals have been seized or nationalized.
It also contains specific safeguards and conditions for removing such presidential designations if an offending country returns the seized property, terminates any future seizure measures, provides adequate compensation, or otherwise resolves the dispute to the President's satisfaction.
We have another good slate of bills before us today, and I look forward to the testimony of our witnesses and the subsequent discussions all of us will have.
With that, I now yield to the Ranking Member for any comments he wishes to make.
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