WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Ranking Member on the House Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee, issued the following statement in opposition to Democrats’ border emergency supplemental appropriations bill:

“The Administration has been more than transparent in the urgent need for additional assistance at the border beginning with their request for $4.5 billion for emergency humanitarian aid over one month ago. Additionally, Department officials have been forthcoming in their efforts to provide firsthand testimony – politics aside – to Members on both sides of the aisle.

“Democrats’ emergency funding bill underfunds necessary agencies, omits additional aid for enforcement resources and does not provide for family verification methods to combat fraudulent asylum claims. There should be no ambiguity about the severity of the crisis. We need a complete border supplemental bill providing relief and resources for all the agencies working at the border and within the country. Democrats should stop the political games and provide long overdue humanitarian aid.”

Earlier, Congressman Fleischmann’s spoke in opposition to the bill. 

Excerpts from Congressman Fleischmann’s remarks can be found below.

“At the time we crafted the fiscal year 2019 regular appropriations bill, we could not have predicted the sheer mass of people pouring across the border this spring and summer.

But this fiscal year, Customs and Border Patrol encountered almost 700 thousand people. 

That’s double the amount in all the previous fiscal year, and we still have three months to go. 

Further, we are not talking about separating children.  We are talking about children coming without parents who can care for them.  We can’t just let kids wander the streets. 

We need to ensure HHS has the space and the capacity to find sponsors or suitable homes for these kids. 

DHS cannot wait another month for funds, and DHS definitely cannot wait on Health and Human Services to receive more funds.

We need a complete border supplemental bill providing relief and resources for all the agencies working at the border and within the country to work through the number of migrants coming across our Southern Border. 

That includes Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and that includes the Department of Defense. 

Further, we need a supplemental bill that doesn’t throw up roadblocks to implementing the aid we are trying to deliver. 

I urge the House to instead take up a more bi-partisan bill that would also pass the Senate and get signed by the President by Friday.”

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Fleischmann on UAW (United Auto Workers) Unionization Vote: “I am pleased that workers at the Volkswagen plant voted to preserve their ability to deal directly with their employer.”

CHATTANOOGA, TN – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) issued the following statement in response to the United Auto Workers (UAW) unionization vote:

“I am pleased that workers at the Volkswagen plant voted to preserve their ability to deal directly with their employer,” said Congressman Fleischmann. “There are many reasons I was concerned about the impact of the Michigan-based United Auto Workers union making East Tennessee their foothold in the South – most notably being their track record of failure in Detroit. Additionally, I believe that direct communication between workers and employers is best without the burdensome red tape historically imposed by unions. I sincerely hope that after this third failed attempt to unionize, this issue will not rise again, and Tennessee can continue to use its status as a right-to-work state to be an economic leader in the region and across the nation.”

833 employees voted against UAW representation and 776 employees voted in favor of UAW representation.

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Fleischmann and Granger on FY20 Homeland Security Funding Bill and Border Security Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) Top Republican on the House Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee, and Congresswoman Kay Granger (TX-12), Top Republican on the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statements in opposition to the FY20 House Appropriations Homeland Security funding bill:  

“This bill presented an opportunity to address our border security crisis in a bipartisan way,” said Fleischmann. “However, the necessary topline funding levels are sadly absent, and it is unfortunate that partisan priorities prevailed over practical solutions, like my amendment to offer full funding for the border wall.

“As migrants continue to flood across our southern border, it’s a step in the wrong direction to cut humanitarian aid – slashing detention beds by the thousands and limiting the resources available to border security personnel. As it stands, our border patrol officers are spread too thin and detention centers are inundated. Additionally, this bill fails to provide any funding for a key component of a multi-faceted border security solution – the border wall – and rescinds over $600 million in previous funds. While some critical missions receive the funding they need, this glaring failure to secure our border cannot be overlooked. We can, and must, do better.”

“In May alone, more than 144,000 individuals were apprehended at our southern border,” said Granger. “We are facing an unprecedented crisis, and the agencies on the frontlines do not have the appropriate resources to address the situation.
 
“The bill marked up in Committee today falls far below the Administration’s request, and it does not provide the funds needed to both provide humanitarian aid and secure the border. We must put partisanship aside – the safety of the American people and those seeking entry into our country is at stake.
 
“I urge Committee Democrats to join our efforts to address the humanitarian and security crisis at hand by immediately passing a desperately-needed emergency supplemental bill and fully funding the Department’s request for fiscal year 2020.”

Congressman Fleischmann’s opening statement can be found here.

Congressman Fleischmann offered an amendment to provide $5 billion for border wall funding in response to the growing national security and humanitarian crisis at the southern border.

“We cannot have border security without a wall,” stated Fleischmann. Watch more here.

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Homeland Security subcommittee delivered remarks in opposition to the Fiscal Year 2020 Department of Homeland Security spending bill.

Click here to watch the full video.

Excerpts from Congressman Fleischmann’s remarks can be found below.

“We have broad agreement on so many areas of funding in this bill.  We all hear from many the same constituencies. We all care about the safety and security of the people in our country, and the people at the Department, and so much of this bill actually reflects that shared concern and priorities for investment. 

Unfortunately, there are places where we disagree, and those disagreements, respectfully, are vast. In its current form, the minority cannot support this bill.

This bill does not include a single dollar for continued border fence construction.  Not one dollar. Further, it takes money away from what we provided last year. We suffered a very unfortunate government shutdown over the past year over the border fence funds. Respectfully, I do not believe it is prudent not to provide any funds in this bill when we know that to get this bill cannot get enacted – maybe no bill can get enacted, unless we have funds for border security.

The levels of funding for ICE are also another important difference between the majority and minority positions, and the lack of funds flexibility is another issue of great concern to the minority.  ICE needs to be able to respond to the influx of people at the border, and they need to be able to follow up with detaining and transporting people back to their countries after being issued an order of removal. This bill limits beds at 34,000 and unfortunately ends family detention beds by the year 2019. Both of these issues are unacceptable to the minority.

Further, ICE needs to be able to send people back to their countries who are convicted of criminal acts.  We have laws about asylum, but we also have laws about removal, which should and must be executed with the same care and diligence. 

To my colleagues we have a crisis in my view with a capital “C”at the border.  It’s not exaggerated.  We need funds for Customs and Border Protection.  We need funds for ICE.  We need to address the crowding at the border.  We need to recognize that thousands of people are coming to our borders every single day and we are not prepared for them, and they are not showing any signs of slowing down.  We need a supplemental and we need to follow up with funds in the regular appropriations bill. 

Having addressed those issues of difference, let me now turn to the fact where we have major agreements. The Department is more than just CBP and ICE.  We need the funds that are proposed in this bill for all the agencies that are working every day of every week in our communities to keep our people safe – the great United States Coast Guard, the Cybersecurity Agency, TSA, Secret Service, FEMA, and all the components of the Department. I respectfully thank the Chairwoman for all she has done for these agencies under the allocation, especially where increases are proposed to address critical needs across the Department. 

I also thank you, Madame Chair, for accommodating so many requests for reports, briefings, direction, and dollars at the request of many of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle. 

The minority does not have any amendments today.  I look forward to next week in Full Committee, where I’m sure we will visit some of these issues.”

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) issued the following statement in response to H.R. 6, Democrats’ amnesty legislation:  

"Our southern border is overwhelmed, but the answer to our immigration crisis is not sweeping legalization of indiscriminate immigration," said Congressman Fleischmann. “This legislation offers nothing to stem the tide of illegal immigration but exacerbates the problem by further loosening the loopholes that are already the center of our border security crisis. H.R 6 restricts the ability of homeland security personnel to deny green cards to individuals with a criminal history or gang affiliations and removes disincentives to fraudulent asylum claims. This is not the hallmark of an immigration system, but rather amnesty for all. I have always said that our immigration system should benefit those who come here lawfully and legally, but this legislation undermines those who are following the rule of law. As illegal migrant apprehensions at our southern border continue to swell, Congress should be working toward comprehensive, merit-based immigration reform not green card giveaways.”

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Fleischmann on Democrats’ Healthcare Legislation: “H.R. 986 is merely another example of Democrats in Washington voting to impose a one-size-fits-all healthcare plan on states and stifle state-led innovation.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) issued the following statement ahead of voting on H.R. 986, the Protecting Americans with Preexisting Conditions Act:

“When it comes to healthcare, I feel that big government should step aside and empower states to provide patient-centered healthcare solutions. H.R. 986 does the opposite. This legislation would deprive states of the ability to oversee their healthcare markets, limit access to high-quality and affordable healthcare, and impede state-driven solutions to lower premiums. In short, this legislation is merely another example of Democrats in Washington voting to impose a one-size-fits-all healthcare plan on states and stifle state-led innovation. If the name of this bill accurately reflected what it really does it would be called the ‘Anti-State Innovation Act’ or better yet ‘The Bill that Limits Health Care Choices Act.’ East Tennesseans want more healthcare options, not less, and this legislation minimizes choice and increases government control.”

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Fleischmann on Release of Mueller Report: “After two years of investigation, thousands of subpoenas, and hundreds of interviews we once again come to the conclusion that there was no collusion.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03) issued the following statement in response to the release of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report:

“I am pleased that the Mueller report has been made public, giving the American people the transparency they deserve and providing accountability in our democracy. After two years of investigation, thousands of subpoenas, and hundreds of interviews we once again come to the conclusion that there was no collusion. Furthermore, we know that Russian meddling in our election was an effort to sow uncertainty in our democracy and was furthered by Democrats’ false narrative and personal vendetta against the President. Today, the Special Counsel’s report was released to Congress but it is abundantly clear that Democrats are steadfast in their effort to prolong their dog and pony show of taxpayer-funded investigations regardless of the Special Counsel’s findings. There was no collusion, but there is a crisis at our southern border. I plan to spend my time addressing this national emergency and other challenges facing our nation.”

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