Nita Lowey

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Madam Chair, it is time to stop playing games and provide assistance to all Americans, no matter whether you lost your home to a wildfire in the West, farmland to flooding in the Midwest, or your entire community to a hurricane in Puerto Rico. Vote ``yes.'' Madam Chair, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the following Member be removed as a cosponsor of H.R. 1055: Mr. Glenn Thompson of Pennsylvania.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, as a staunch supporter of the U.S.-Israel relationship, I am disgusted by the Republicans' ongoing attempts to politicize serious issues related to anti-semitism and support for the U.S.-Israel partnership. The vast majority of members on both sides of the aisle in this chamber oppose BDS. But that's not what this vote today on the motion to recommit was really about. What actually occurred here today was a political stunt to sink a bill addressing the world's worst humanitarian crisis, which is why I voted against the Motion to Recommit. Twenty four million--let me repeat: 24 million--desperate Yemenis are in need of humanitarian assistance. Families are displaced. Children are starving. Lives are in imminent danger. But instead of working with Democrats to stop U.S. support for the Saudi and Emirati coalition that is perpetuating this suffering, Republicans politicized the U.S.-Israel relationship in a vote intended to ensure this bill cannot pass in the Senate and reach the President's desk. We know it would kill the bill, of course, because the Senate already rejected a similar measure attached to this bill the first time we considered it. That measure sought unsuccessfully to create political division among Democrats based on anti-semitism. It is particularly heinous to politicize hate given the rise in all forms of bias-based violence in recent years. I have consistently worked to combat BDS and will partner with House leadership to ensure that real legislation opposing this divisive political movement is brought to the House floor. But I will not give legitimacy to these Republican attempts to threaten bipartisan support for the U.S.-Israel relationship and leave millions of men, women, and children in danger of starvation and death.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the joint resolution to terminate President Trump's phony declaration of an emergency at the southern border. Unable to convince Congress to pay for his wasteful border wall, the president has decided to make an end run around the legislative branch, upending democratic norms and creating a dangerous precedent. To pay for the wall, the Administration intends to rob money from critical military construction projects and from other parts of the Defense Department and the Treasury. This would threaten national security, undermine the readiness of our military, and could disrupt critical infrastructure improvements that benefit service members and their families--all to prop up a political vanity project. As a country, we should be focused on real law enforcement needs, not a border wall that will do virtually nothing to keep Americans safe. Today's vote to block the president's emergency declaration is a critical first step, and I am proud to cosponsor this resolution. I hope my Republican colleagues recognize that this isn't about politics--it's about defending our democratic institutions and the rule of law from presidential overreach. It's about protecting our institution and our Constitution in the face of an unprecedented power grab from a president who rejects Congress' authority as a co-equal branch of government. Mr. Speaker, the greatest power we have as members of Congress is the power of the purse. As we exercise that power, we should invest responsibly in priorities that strengthen and protect American families and communities. We do not exist to rubber stamp the President. I urge my Republican colleagues to join us in defending our constitutional prerogatives and upholding the rule of law.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 131, I call up the conference report on the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 31) making further continuing appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, the bill before us would prevent another government shutdown by completing the remaining appropriation bills for fiscal year 2019. It represents what is possible in a strong democratic process when we work hard to reach agreement that puts politics aside and puts the American people first. This bipartisan compromise rejects the President's irresponsible budget cuts and, instead, invests in priorities that will strengthen our families, communities, and economy. Additionally, it does not contain poison pill riders that threaten the environment, public health, and consumer protections in the House Republican versions of these bills. Among the bill's vital increases are $80 million for State and local law enforcement to keep communities safe, $1 billion for the Census Bureau, $308 million for research and development at the National Science Foundation, $25 million for the Environmental Protection Agency, $293 million for port infrastructure, and $123 million for grants to combat homelessness. Strong international affairs funding will help stabilize the world's economy, meet unprecedented humanitarian needs, and continue our fight against radical extremism and terrorism. Federal workers will receive a 1.9 percent pay raise that the President attempted to deny hardworking families. The Homeland Security division of this bill upholds Democratic values and funds smart and effective border security, including construction and screening technology at ports of entry, where most drugs illegally enter the country. The $1.375 billion it provides for border barriers is 76 percent less than what the President demanded for a concrete wall, and critical protections are put in place for environmentally sensitive areas. Neither Democrats nor Republicans got everything they wanted. Every Democrat and nearly every Republican who served on the conference committee to write this bill has signed it in support. I thank the conferees for their hard work and commitment to this process, which we couldn't have completed without our excellent, dedicated staff, both majority and minority. My friends, I urge a ``yes'' vote. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 4 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Roybal-Allard), the hardworking chairwoman of the Homeland Security Subcommittee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Cuellar), a member of the Appropriations Committee and a distinguished conferee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Price), the distinguished chairman of the Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee), a senior member of the committee and a conferee who worked so hard to put this bill together.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from California.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 10 seconds to the gentlewoman from California.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from California (Mr. Aguilar), a member of the Appropriations Committee and a very important conferee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from California.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), the chairman of the Commerce, Justice, Science Subcommittee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Bishop), the distinguished chairman of the Agriculture Subcommittee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield an additional 30 seconds to the gentleman from Georgia.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Minnesota (Ms. McCollum), the chairwoman of the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz), chairwoman of the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Subcommittee.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days to revise and extend their remarks on the conference report to accompany H.J. Res. 31.

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the remainder of my time to close. Mr. Speaker, I would like to once again thank my fellow conferees. In a divided government, none of us will get everything we want, but I am proud that 16 of us, all appropriators, could work through a series of difficult decisions and sign a bipartisan agreement. Mr. Speaker, I urge my friends on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes,'' and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 4) making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 28) making further continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes, with the Senate amendment thereto, and concur in the Senate amendment.

Mrs. LOWEY

Mrs. LOWEY. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent to take from the Speaker's table the joint resolution (H.J. Res. 31) making further continuing appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2019, and for other purposes, with a Senate amendment thereto, disagree to the Senate amendment, and agree to the conference asked by the Senate.