House Democrats Highlight How Republican Funding Bill Forces Chaos at the Border

WASHINGTON — During today's House Appropriations Subcommittee markup of the 2025 Homeland Security funding bill, House Democrats highlighted how the bill creates chaos at the border, weakens America's national security, and fails to protect Americans from terrorism and violent extremists.

For 2025, the bill provides $93.8 billion for the Department of Homeland Security, of which $22.7 billion is for major disaster response and recovery. The legislation:

• Fails to secure the border by wasting billions of dollarson ineffective and disproven strategies instead of investing in sustainable immigration reform that both strengthens border security and benefits American families and businesses.
• Deliberately forces chaos at the border and in cities across the country by eliminating the Shelter and Services Program and withholding the resources and policies needed to manage our border humanely and support communities receiving migrants across the U.S.
• Fails to protect Americans from terrorism and violent extremists byunderfunding programs that enhance regional preparedness and response capabilities and counter extremism.
• Weakens our national security through inadequate cybersecurity and infrastructure security investments, exposing the U.S. to increased cyberattacks and foreign adversary influence.

"As we confront threats from foreign adversaries, experience a rise in domestic extremism and terrorism, and counter the flow of dangerous narcotics like fentanyl—the appropriations process gives us a chance to put our money where our mouth is," Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Ranking Member Lauren Underwood (D-IL-14) said. "Unfortunately, the legislation put forward by the majority today misses the mark and ignores our country's most pressing needs. Instead of investing in real solutions to the challenges we face, this bill invests in extreme MAGA policies and ignores the voices of the American people. That is why I cannot support it."

Congresswoman Underwood's full remarks as prepared for delivery are here.

"This Homeland Security bill fails to secure the border and instead, stokes chaos and disorder – wasting hundreds of millions in taxpayer dollars along the way. The House majority has rejected every serious legislative effort to address and end the crisis at the border. They rejected one of the toughest bipartisan border bills in history that had a viable path to passage, pronouncing it dead without any debate. Their alternative, H.R. 2, is unserious and inhumane and has no path to becoming law," Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03) said. "As far as being serious about solving anything at all, the bill before us is simply a façade. In the midst of a crisis situation at our southern border, the majority's bill cuts Border Patrol operations by $2.1 billion – a 25 percent cut from fiscal year 2024. The bill once again wastes taxpayer money on impractical border measures and ineffective barriers, rather than focusing resources where we need them most."

Congresswoman DeLauro's full remarks are here.

A summary of House Republicans' 2025 Homeland Security bill is here. A fact sheet of the bill is here. The full text of the bill is here. Information on Community Project Funding in the bill is here.

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