Rep Cuellar Speaks During House Appropriations Oversight Hearing with Secretary Markwayne Mullin

As Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I welcomed Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Deputy Secretary Edgar and made clear that while I support the mission of the Department, Congress also has a responsibility to provide strong oversight. Throughout the appropriations process, including markup, we fought to include oversight and provisions that make sense, especially as DHS receives more than $260 billion outside the normal appropriations process. When it comes to border security, let me be clear: we cannot use 14th century solutions to address 21st century challenges by building wall construction in some of our most sacred places, communities to national monuments, especially at a time when crossings are at record lows. Congress must do its job to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent responsibly and that homeland security policy reflects the realities our communities face