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Homeland Security Appropriations Action Center |
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 NumbersUSA
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STATUS: On June 6, the House passed H.R. 5441, the fiscal year 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, by a vote of 389-9. The bill provides approximately $32 billion in discretionary funds for the upcoming fiscal year (see "Finished Votes" below). Just before final passage, the House considered several important amendments. An amendment by Rep. John Culberson (R-TX; HA 966), which was withdrawn, would have banned DHS funds from being used to process new immigration applications – save H-1B applications – for one year starting October 1, 2006 to allow USCIS to catch up on the current backlog of immigration applications. Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA) was unsuccessful in promoting an amendment (HA 969) that would have prohibited DHS funds from being used to grant birthright citizenship to the children of those not subject to U.S. jurisdiction, including illegal aliens. Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA) succeeded in passing an amendment (HA 971) that would prohibit DHS funds from being used to provide to foreign governments information about citizen militias operating near the southwestern border. Rep. Steve King’s amendment (R-IA; HA 968), which he offered for Rep. John Campbell (R-CA), was endorsed by the House. It would prevent state and local governments that refuse to share information with Federal immigration authorities by adopting "sanctuary policies" from obtaining Federal funds under this bill. On May 25, as the Senate was speeding to approve an amnesty-laden immigration "reform" measure, the House voted on a number of amendments to H.R. 5441 before temporarily setting aside the bill. One unsuccessful amendment by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO, HA 962) would have prohibited funds to be used to administer extensions of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation made earlier this year for Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) also was unsuccessful in passing an amendment (HA 939) to increase funding for Southwestern border fencing. However, Rep. Jim Marshall (R-GA) was able to pass an amendment (HA 950), which increases funding for USCIS' employment verification program.
 Public Opinion — poll numbers consistently show the majority of Americans support lower immigration numbers.Bill page — links to statements by sponsors, section-by-section summary, and other resources. Research and Reports — NumbersUSA.com's online library featuring links to in-depth analysis of legislation and policy, charts, and articles authored by our staff. NumbersUSA Press Releases — all recent and past press releases.SmartBusinessPractices.com — a pro-business resource for American businesspeople, especially those in small business, who seek to operate their companies in the best traditions of American private enterprise. |
This page re-caps House floor action on the appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security, and contains summaries and links to information that will help you understand the legislation, the process and the votes. (If you have any questions or comments, please CLICK HERE.) A NumbersUSA analysis (see yellow boxes below) of the major Senate bills under consideration finds that they all would flood American communities and occupations with gigantic new flows of foreign workers and dependents. Our analysis finds that the minimum number of permanent immigrants that would be allowed over the next 10 years under S. 2611 (as introduced) would be 32 million:
20 million — Frist's bill (S. 2454)
 Send
free faxes to urge Representatives to
oppose the Senate's amnesty bill Talking Points For Phone Calls & Visits with Members of Congress' Offices
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FINISHED VOTES:
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NumbersUSA
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| Motion to order the Previous Question (i.e., to debate bill) Summary: Enables the House to begin debate and consider a limited number of amendments to H.R. 5441, the FY07 DHS appropriations bill. 217-195 PASSED |
NumbersUSA supported this motion because it prevented consideration of a number of detrimental amendments. CLICK HERE for a detailed vote tally |
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| Sherrod Brown amendment (HA 938)
Summary: Earmarks $500,000 to examine security concerns related to the Peru and Columbia Free Trade Agreements. 167-255 FAILED |
Although this amendment does not change immigration numbers, it highlights the need to examine security concerns that may be overlooked in the context of negotiating trade agreements. CLICK HERE for a detailed vote tally |
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| Steve King amendment (HA 939) Summary: Increases funding for construction of a fence along the southern border by $100 million. VOICE VOTE FAILED |
NumbersUSA supports increasing funding for the construction of more fencing.
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| Poe amendment (HA 951) Summary: Provides an additional $47 million (includes offset) to expand the current 287(g) program and to better enable state and local law enforcement to enforce Federal immigration law. VOICE VOTE FAILED |
NumbersUSA strongly supports more involvement of state and local police in immigration enforcement.
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| Reyes amendment (HA 955) Summary: Increases funding (with no offset) for necessary detention bed space, personnel, and removal costs by approximately $2.1 billion in order to end "catch and release".
TABLED |
NumbersUSA believes that it would be difficult to end the “catch and release” policy without additional detention space. |
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| Jackson-Lee amendment (HA 940) Summary: Increases funding for Citizen Corps programs (i.e., "neighborhood watch") by $3 million. 173-249 FAILED |
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| Stupak amendment (HA 942) Summary: Increases funding (by offset) for Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Cyber Crimes Center by $5 million. 348 – 74 PASSED |
CLICK HERE for a detailed vote tally |
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| DeFazio amendment (HA 948) Summary: Increases funding (by offset) for DHS' Office of Inspector General by $11.5 million as to enable greater investigation of fraud and abuse. 200 – 220 FAILED |
Thousands of allegations of fraud and abuse have gone unchecked. This funding would have helped the Inspector General investigate more of these allegations. |
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| Marshall amendment (HA 950) Summary: Increases funding (by offset) for USCIS' employment verification program by $20 million. 358 – 63 PASSED |
Immediate steps need to be taken to expand the ability of employers to electronically check the eligibility of job applicants to work in the United States. This amendment supports such an effort. |
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| Tancredo amendment (HA 962) Summary: Prohibits funds appropriated by this bill from being used to administer extensions of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation made with respect to Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua before this bill's enactment. 184-284-1 FAILED |
NumbersUSA supports de-funding the TPS program, which has been continuously extended without just cause in most instances. |
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| Culberson amendment (HA 966) Summary: Bans all new immigration applications – save H-1B applications – for one year starting October 1, 2006, and ending October 1, 2007, to allow USCIS to catch up on the current backlog of immigration applications. WITHDRAWN |
The immigration application backlog, and the policies USCIS utilizes to reduce it, results in the rubber stamping of far too many applications. This is a threat to our national security. |
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| Deal amendment (HA 969) Summary: Prohibits funds appropriated by this bill from being used to grant birthright citizenship to the children of those not subject to U.S. jurisdiction, including illegal aliens.  Point of Order Sustained Regarding Legislating in an Appropriations Bill TABLED |
Some 380,000 children are born in the United States each year to illegal-alien mothers, according to U.S. Census data. These babies then serve as “anchors” because, as U.S. citizens, they become eligible to sponsor for legal immigration most of their relatives, including their illegal-alien mothers, when they turn 21 years of age, thus becoming the U.S. "anchor" for an extended immigrant family. |
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| Kingston amendment (HA-971) Summary: Prohibits funds appropriated by this bill from being used to provide to any foreign government or entity information about citizen militias operating near the southwestern border of the United States unless such provision is required by international treaty. 293-107 PASSED |
Revealing the positions of Minutemen or any group of citizens trying to assist in the apprehension of illegal aliens is an affront to the U.S. Constitution and the American people. |
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| Steve King amendment (HA 968) Summary: Prevents state and local governments that refuse to share information with Federal immigration authorities by adopting "sanctuary policies" from obtaining Federal funds under this bill. 218-179 PASSED |
These policies are not only misguided and dangerous, they are also illegal. Section 642(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility of 1996 makes it illegal for state and local governments to prevent their police from sending information to, or receiving information from Federal enforcement authorities about the immigration status of foreign nationals that they encounter in the course of their police duties. |
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| Motion to recommit bill Summary: Returns the bill to committee with instructions to change it.
207-191-2 FAILED |
NumbersUSA Urged A NO Vote NumbersUSA opposed the motion because it supports passage of the bill. CLICK HERE for a detailed vote tally |
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Vote on final passage 389-9 PASSED |
NumbersUSA Urged A YES Vote Although NumbersUSA would have preferred to see adopted a number of strengthening amendments (e.g., prohibiting funds from being used to grant birthright citizenship to illegal aliens), we supported passage of the bill. CLICK HERE for a detailed vote tally |
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| Obey amendment (HA 970) Summary: Increases funding to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) by $880 million as to enable, among other things, the hiring of 1,800 additional Border Patrol agents. Increases funding to CBP by $300 million as to enable construction activities. Increases funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement by $730 million as to enable procurement of 9,000 additional detention beds and the hiring of 800 additional immigration enforcement agents. Pays for these increases by reducing recent tax breaks on wealthy taxpayers by 10.3 percent. Budget Point of Order Sustained TABLED |
NumbersUSA Urged A YES Vote NumbersUSA strongly supports enhanced enforcement measures, including the cessation of the "catch-and-release" policy, which would be aided by adoption of this amendment. We would note, however, that the amendment’s Democratic proponents may not have been serious about pursuing these measures because they chose to pay for them by raising taxes on the wealthy. In other words, it was a political amendment that Republicans were sure to oppose. |
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| Tom Price amendment (HA 973) Summary: Shifts funding for DHS employee limousine and shuttle services, which were the subject of recent allegations about misappropriation of funds at DHS, to grant programs which enhance fire departments' ability to: (1) protect the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel, with respect to fire and fire-related hazards; and (2) increase their ranks. PASSED VOICE VOTE |
Although this amendment does not change immigration numbers, it does highlight the misguided funding priorities within DHS, which are indicative of an overarching unwillingness to enforce the rule of law. |
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| Garrett amendment (HA 974) Summary: Prohibits appropriations made available by this bill for the following from being used to purchase or pay for adult entertainment, bail bond services, jewelry, weapons, or fines for prior traffic violations: (1) the Office of Grants and Training's state and local programs; and (2) FEMA's administration and regional operations. WITHDRAWN |
Although this amendment does not change immigration numbers, it does highlight the misguided funding priorities within DHS, which are indicative of an overarching unwillingness to enforce the rule of law. |
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