Congresswoman Schakowsky's Statement on Border Supplemental Vote

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, a Senior Chief Deputy Whip, released the following statement on her vote against the Senate’s version of the Emergency Border Supplemental bill, H.R. 3401:

“Today I voted against the $4.6 billion Senate Emergency Border Supplemental because it gives an Administration that has proven time and again that it can’t be trusted a blank check to cause more human suffering. It is my duty as a Member of Congress to stop this Administration from manipulating the needs of refugees and migrants and holding children hostage in order to transfer billions of dollars for the massive expansion of its hate-filled immigration enforcement agenda. The Senate’s version of the Emergency Supplemental will not fully address the current humanitarian needs at the border. Instead it will continue the vicious cycle of abuse and allow the White House to continue implementing its border and interior enforcement policies that are resulting in grave human rights violations and deaths.

“The House, whose members represent districts on the border and are most familiar with the needs of the communities affected, put forth a bill, which I supported, that would have provided sufficient funding for the impacted government agencies while implementing much needed oversight mechanisms and spending restrictions. Unfortunately, the Senate under the leadership of Senator Mitch McConnell chose to reject this approach.

“We cannot simply give the Department of Homeland Security a blank check after seeing firsthand what they will do with it. We must ensure that every dollar is used to address the humanitarian needs of the family and children in immigration detention and not used to further traumatize, dehumanize, and abuse the people fleeing violence, persecution, and extreme poverty.”