Press Releases

Today, U.S. Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) released the following statement after the House voted 236-191 in favor of H.R. 240, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act with the Congressman’s support: 

“I am pleased to see the House act today to pass legislation that prohibits a single penny from being used to carry-out President Obama’s illegal executive amnesty orders. For far too long, previous Congresses have simply failed to uphold the fundamental checks and balances which protect our Constitutional Republic. This rogue President needs to be reined in and held accountable for his violations of the rule of law. 

“Over the course of recent Democrat and Republican administrations, the executive branch has slowly and unilaterally expanded its ability to bypass Congress and impose its will without the consent of Representatives elected by the American people. Now, Congress is faced with President Obama’s egregious and unconstitutional executive amnesty order which threatens to create a precedent for ideological lawlessness which cannot be reversed. House Republicans acted boldly and aggressively today to fight back against this lawlessness on behalf of the American people and future generations. I hope the Senate will act swiftly and pass this commonsense legislation.”
 

Background     (Courtesy of the Majority Whip’s Office)     

The Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, became law on December 16, 2014. It fully funds 11 of the 12 regular Appropriations bill through September 30, 2015 and funds the Department of Homeland Security under a Continuing Resolution (CR) until February 27, 2015. H.R. 240 will fund the Department of Homeland Security at $39.7 billion in discretionary funding through September 30, 2015. This funding level is $400 million over FY14 and ensures our nation's security needs are met while maintaining fiscal discipline.

Highlights of H.R. 240:

·       Prioritizes funding for border security with additional funds to prevent cuts to border patrol agents, provides additional funds for border fencing, infrastructure and technology, and maintains constant air, sea, and land surveillance.

·       Increases funding for immigration enforcement to address the surge of unaccompanied children crossing the border with additional staffing and detention beds.

·       Deters future illegal migration, facilitates removal, fully funds E-Verify, and combats human trafficking, drug smuggling, and gang activity.

The final bill also included these amendments, all of which Rep. Gosar supported:

Reps. Aderholt / Mulvaney / Barletta Amendment: 

1)     Prevents any funds from whatever source to be used to carry-out (1) the Executive actions announced on November 20, 2014 to grant deferred action to certain unlawful aliens and for other purposes, and (2) four of the “Morton Memos” on prosecutorial discretion and immigration enforcement priorities issued in 2011 and 2012 that effectively prevent certain classes of unlawful aliens from being removed from the country.
2)     Provides that no funds may be used to grant any Federal benefit to any alien as a result of the policies defunded.

Rep. Blackburn Amendment: Provides that no funds may be used to consider new, renewal or previously denied DACA applications. 

Reps. DeSantis / Roby Amendment: Requires that DHS treat any alien convicted of any offense involving domestic violence, sexual abuse, child molestation, or child abuse or exploitation as within the categories of aliens subject to DHS’s highest civil immigration enforcement

Reps. Salmon / Thompson (PA) Amendment: Sense of Congress that the Executive Branch should not pursue policies that disadvantage the hiring of U.S. citizens and those lawfully present in the United States by making it economically advantageous to hire workers who came to the country illegally.

Rep. Schock Amendment: Sense of Congress that the Administration should stop putting the interest of immigrants who worked within the legal framework to come to the US behind those who came here illegally.

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