Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem<\/a> to unilaterally shift funding and allocate federal dollars as she sees fit.<\/p>\n\u201cIt’s not everything we wanted. We wanted more oversight. But, look, Democrats don’t control the House. We don’t control the Senate or the White House. But we were able to add some oversight over Homeland,\u201d said Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, a member of the Appropriations panel. He said he intends to vote for the bill.<\/p>\n
But most Democrats who emerged from the closed-door caucus meeting on Wednesday had a different view.<\/p>\n
\u201cI never support lawless operations,\u201d said Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf it’s the status quo, I’m a no,\u201d said Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill. <\/p>\n
DeLauro, along with Cuellar, made a presentation about the bill to House Democrats during their closed-door meeting. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., said she told her colleagues why she thought it was a mistake. Others who spoke up agreed, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think this is just a really horrific time, and people understand what\u2019s at stake,\u201d Jayapal said. \u201cWe can\u2019t treat this like it\u2019s anything else. Our eyes are not lying to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
She explained that extra money for body cameras and other changes was insufficient. The bill provides $20 million that must be used for ICE and Customs and Border Protection officers when conducting enforcement actions. <\/p>\n
She said she told her colleagues, \u201cNobody should try to sell this as an improvement. It\u2019s not an improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n
But some Democrats in key swing districts will likely be seeing campaign ads targeting them if they vote against the Homeland Security funding bill. The campaign arm for House Republicans issued press releases on Wednesday targeting some 20 Democrats, saying they \u201cwill do anything to appease the \u2018defund ICE\u2019 crowd even if it means risking national security.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, liberal advocacy groups are also applying pressure, saying Congress must take clear, immediate action to rein in the department.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe DHS bill that was released clearly falls far short, and should be roundly rejected. Every Democrat should be voting against this funding bill, and Democratic leadership in both chambers should be actively whipping their caucus in opposition,\u201d said Andrew O\u2019Neill, national advocacy director for the group Indivisible.<\/p>\n
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was optimistic that the funding bills would pass, including the Homeland Security measure. He can afford a few defections given the GOP’s razor-thin majority.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll we do is win,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n
The overall funding package before the House on Thursday contains roughly $1.2 trillion in spending. About two-thirds of that will go to the Defense Department. <\/p>\n
Other departments that are funded through the package include Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. Most federal spending is unaffected by the yearly battles in Congress, most notably Social Security and Medicare.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\n
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