WASHINGTON, DC– Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX) issued the following statement after opposing the Democrats inadequate emergency border spending bill:
“57 days ago, President Trump requested emergency supplemental funding for the exploding humanitarian crisis along our porous southern border. House Democrats do not want to stop the humanitarian crisis. If they did, they would have made an effort to pass something that has a chance to pass the Senate and be signed into law by the president. This heartless action by House Democrats guarantees the detainees will endure unnecessary hardships. The American government employees who are on the front lines of this crisis will not get paid as HHS funds will run out shortly. Instead of working with Republicans to secure our country and save lives, Democrats have chosen to repeatedly play politics.
“I voted against this bill because it severely underfunds Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and does not include even a penny for our brave active duty and National Guard service men and women deployed along the border. Texas experiences the terrible consequences of the lack of funding firsthand. If there’s anything that should convince the Democrats that they need to fund ICE and this crisis, it should be the women and children who are suffering after illegally crossing the border in detainment camps because of the lack of funding. I support the bipartisan efforts in the Senate and look forward to voting for a bill that gives resources to relieve the serious humanitarian crisis on our border. It’s time the Democrats come to the table and work with both Republicans and the president to solve this crisis once and for all.”