Today, Rep. Pete Aguilar (CA-31) and Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-07) released a letter to Speaker John Boehner, urging him to bring a clean Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill to the House floor for a vote. The letter, signed by 119 Members of Congress, calls for a clean funding bill, one free of reckless anti-immigration riders that would roll back President Obama’s executive orders. If a funding bill is not passed in the next nine days, the Department of Homeland Security will face a shutdown. 

 

“A little over a year ago, the House majority chose party politics over the American people and cost our nation $24 billion during the 2013 shutdown, and now, they want to gamble the national security of the United States just so they can earn political points. I urge Speaker Boehner to immediately bring a clean Homeland Security funding bill to a vote so we can end this stand-off and focus on serving the American people,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar.

 

Rep. Ruben Gallego said, “Rep. Roybal-Allard and Rep. Lowey already introduced a clean DHS funding bill that we could vote on this afternoon. The American people elected us solve problems and to do what is in their best interest, they deserve better.” He added, “Republicans caused this unnecessary crisis; It’s time for them to act like responsible adults, and for Speaker Boehner to bring up a clean funding bill so we can ensure the safety of our country and of the American people.”

 

The current legislation does not have the votes to pass the Senate and is a guaranteed veto by President Obama. Without a funding bill by the February 27^th deadline, the Department of Homeland Security will be forced to shut down, furloughing thousands of federal employees, forcing thousands of federal employees to work without pay, and putting the national security of the United States at risk.

 

The letter can be read in full here.