Washington, D.C. – Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-02) and Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) released the following statement on their strong opposition to H.R. 1158, the FY20 minibus funding the Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense:
“We cannot and will not support more funding for President Trump’s immoral mass detention policies and unchecked and wasteful Pentagon spending.
“In light of the well-documented and repeated abuses within ICE and CBP, the status quo of open-ended DHS funding is simply unacceptable. Just last week, CBP refused to allow people within its custody to receive flu vaccines - even as migrants suffer from illness, inadequate care and prolonged detention.
“Earlier this year, the Progressive Caucus sent a letter with the Tri-Caucus calling for common-sense restrictions on transferring funds from ICE and CBP, as well as decreasing funding for ICE detention beds in any FY20 funding deal.
“The bill before us today will not stop the abuse and wrongful detention of people in custody, nor will it prevent the Trump Administration from misusing federal funds to advance their horrific mass detention and deportation agenda. We also find it offensive that at a time when millions of families can’t afford to put food on the table, this bill wastes $1.375 billion on the pointless, immoral border wall.
“In addition to the open-ended funding for DHS, this bill provides upwards of $700 billion in Pentagon spending, a staggering sum for an agency that has not been able to pass an audit and shown zero interest in addressing the rampant waste, fraud and abuse under its roof. It’s indefensible for President Trump and Congressional Republicans to demand a blank check to defense contractors while working families are forced to choose between paying for their medication or their mortgage.
“We cannot support legislation which enables a cruel President and Administration to continue to use immigrants as political pawns and ignore the will of Congress by transferring money that was authorized for essential priorities to the President’s own vanity projects. We will be voting no.”
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