Ranking Member Cuellar Statement at the Subcommittee Markup of the 2027 Homeland Security Funding Bill

WASHINGTON — Congressman Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's markup of the 2027 funding bill:

-- Remarks as Prepared for Delivery --

Mr. Chairman, thank you so much, and I am pleased to join you today as we markup your final Homeland Security Appropriations bill. We really appreciate the work that you’ve done and appreciate our friendship.

The process of working with you and your team in drafting this important bill has been a good one, consistent with the tradition of this subcommittee, so I thank you for the dialog, the conversations we have had, and your team’s willingness to always work with us on items that are important for the American people. 

It is an interesting position we are in as we sit here considering the FY 2027 budget for DHS while our work on FY 2026 still remains incomplete.

I appreciate many of the new provisions included in this bill that reflect some of the common-sense reforms we had been advocating for and wonder if resolution to FY 2026 and reclaiming our full power of the purse is possible without the need for more reconciliation funding that bypasses our Committee. 

With the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11 approaching later this year, I am reminded that it is this subcommittee’s responsibility to provide DHS the resources necessary to carry-out their missions critical to our nation’s economic security and to protect their health and safety in doing so; but it is equally our responsibility to hold them accountable – both in their day to day operations and interactions with the public as well as how they execute the federal funding they are trusted with – it is why our subcommittee exists. This must always be at the forefront of our deliberations when deciding how to best fund DHS. 

As a border member, I understand and support the investments in border security and technology, employee care and suicide prevention programs for our border patrol agents and other Homeland Security folks, but I am concerned that this bill does not provide sufficient oversight of the Department or certain operational reforms. For example, while the bill doubles funding for body-worn cameras there is nothing in the bill requiring its use during immigration enforcement operations or ensure the video is retained. The bill also cuts the OIG, and I had time to spend time with them, by 12 percent and stripped oversight we had agreed to last year for detention facility oversight when detention capacity for ICE is growing and deaths in ICE custody are at record levels. 

When it comes to the border itself, I do want to express my appreciation for a provision that would protect some of the areas we have previously agreed to that would be excepted from border wall construction. But unfortunately, we got to look at some of the areas. I know that my colleague from El Paso is looking at some exceptions. I’m looking at some border exceptions in my hometown. It’s like having your own house, a yard, and then somebody just puts a fence in front of your yard. But we look forward to working together. This is only the starting process, and I appreciate your opportunity to work on this. 

The bill also misses the opportunities to make smart investments in parts of the Department that have not seen funding from reconciliation sources. I would like to see increased funding for TSA and protect their workers’ collective bargaining as well as larger investments in CISA to protect cyber and critical infrastructure. 

And again, you know, we have other things that we need to talk about. But I do want to take this moment to thank and give my deep appreciation to all the Department’s personnel for the work that they do. I live on the border, so I know border patrol agents, ICE agents, HSI, all those folks, and all that. And I go to church with them. I see the folks at the grocery stores, they’re good people. They’re good people. And, again, I want to thank all of them.

Mr. Chairman, I just want to say that you have been a class act, part of the A-Team, varsity team, that you were talking about I do want to say thank you so much to you and the team and to all the Members. I really appreciate the work that y’all have done. It’s only the starting process, so let’s get this process started. Thank you.