I thank Chairman Amodei, Ranking Member Cuellar, Ranking Member DeLauro, and all our members as we continue our markups. As we sit here – and I know it has been a long day – but I think it is worth taking a moment to remember why this process matters.
The work before us is not simply procedural. It is about this committee fulfilling one of the most fundamental responsibilities of Congress. Article I of the Constitution grants the legislative branch the power of the purse, and with that authority comes the responsibility to fund the government, set priorities, and provide certainty to the agencies and personnel carrying out critical missions on behalf of the American people.
Last year reminded us of what happens when politicians outside these committee walls undermine the appropriations process – and disregard the bipartisan, bicameral work we all secured.
Senate Democrats initiated the longest Department of Homeland Security shutdown in American history. These actions disrupted operations, created uncertainty for personnel, and unnecessarily complicated the mission of keeping Americans safe.
We were still dealing with the ramifications mere hours ago on the House floor. I know we'll hear people bemoan movement on reconciliation this week, but the reality is that those voices should be directed to their colleagues across the Rotunda. And I hope it is a reminder of what is sacrificed when political obstruction is prioritized over constitutional responsibility.
The lesson should be clear: homeland security cannot be governed through political brinkmanship and obstruction. The men and women of the DHS frontline deserve certainty, and the American people deserve a government capable of carrying out its most basic responsibility: keeping them safe.
That is exactly what the measure before us provides. This Fiscal Year 2027 Homeland Security bill funds every core mission of the department. It strengthens border security, supports immigration enforcement, and combats fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
It reinforces the Trump Administration's success in restoring operational control of the border by ensuring frontline personnel have the tools necessary to maintain it. This includes funding to sustain 22,000 Border Patrol Agents, support for critical ICE detention capacity, and a doubling of last year's investment in body-worn cameras for DHS personnel.
Additionally, the bill enhances America's posture in the Indo-Pacific by providing increased resources for Coast Guard operations to counter China and other adversaries.
Investments in maritime domain awareness, unmanned systems, technology modernization, and an expanded Coast Guard presence in the region help safeguard critical waterways, support allies and partners, and advance U.S. national security interests.
Further, this measure recognizes that not every threat arrives at a border crossing. Some come through cyberspace. Others come in the form of a hurricane, tornado, or other disaster. This bill strengthens the capabilities needed to protect critical infrastructure, support resilience in our communities, and prepare for the threats that increasingly define the modern homeland security mission.
This bill ensures a multi-dimensional approach to security at all levels. From cyber defenses protecting critical networks to planning for major national events like the 2028 Olympics – and every challenge that falls between – this measure provides the tools necessary to keep Americans safe.
In sum, we remember that security is often measured by what does not happen: The attack prevented. The disaster mitigated. And the community protected. The bill before us strengthens the people and capabilities responsible for delivering those outcomes every day.
Before I yield back – I must recognize someone who made it possible, my good friend: Mark Amodei. Over the years, Mark has earned a reputation for approaching difficult problems with clear eyes and a healthy skepticism of easy answers.
He understands that governing is rarely a choice between right and wrong. More often, it demands the judgment to put the country's interests ahead of political convenience.
That mindset has certainly served this committee and the subcommittees he has so ably led. In the face of headwinds that would have tested anyone's patience, Mark never lost sight of the fundamental purpose of the work before us: ensuring government functions, missions are carried out, and the American people are served.
He didn’t view appropriations as an exercise in headlines – despite possessing a wit that occasionally ensured he generated a few of them – but he has always viewed our work as an exercise in responsibility.
As he leads his final appropriations bill in Congress, I think it is fitting that the measure before us reflects that same approach. It is grounded in reality, focused on mission, and committed to ensuring our agencies have the resources necessary to carry out its responsibilities.
Congress is stronger because of Chairman Amodei’s service. This committee is stronger because of his leadership. And the appropriations process is stronger because of his commitment to it.
Long after the headlines of the day are forgotten, the institutions he helped strengthen and the results he helped accomplish will endure. That is the mark of meaningful public service.
So, I sincerely thank him for his work, and I will miss the privilege and the sheer fun of serving alongside him. And while I could lament further, I know he’d rather we just get to the business ahead. So, with that, I yield back.
