U.S. Reps. Mark Amodei (R-NV) and Tom Cole (R-OK) on June 14 led the U.S. House Appropriations Committee markup and passage of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2025.
“Republicans don’t want to continue to fund the status quo. The border crisis has gotten so bad that even mayors of Democrat cities have declared the situation untenable,” said Rep. Amodei, chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee and the primary author of the bill. “That’s why this bill invests in tried-and-true methods of securing the border that the men and women in the field are asking for — more agents, detention beds, and physical barriers.”
The Appropriations Committee voted 33-26 to approve H.R. 8752, which would fund border patrol, immigration and naturalization, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration, the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and cybersecurity, among others.
“Chairman Amodei ensured every taxpayer dollar was directed to shield our communities and secure our borders,” said Rep. Cole, chairman of the Appropriations Committee. “A vote for this bill supports the protection of our homeland.”
Rep. Amodei sponsored H.R. 8752, which would provide a total discretionary allocation of $64.8 billion. The defense portion of the allocation is $3.4 billion, which is $82 million (2.4 percent) above the FY 2024 enacted level, according to the lawmakers, while the non-defense portion of the allocation would be almost $61.4 billion, which is roughly $2.9 billion (4.9 percent) above the FY 2024 enacted level and almost $4.3 billion (7.5 percent) above President Joe Biden’s budget request.
Rep. Amodei said the bill makes investments in border security, immigration enforcement efforts, increased defense cooperation to counter Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific, and improved cybersecurity defense technology.
“This bill funds the core responsibilities of the department that protects the homeland while ensuring we act as good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” he added. “What it doesn’t do is fund the liberal priorities that further contribute to the chaos at our southern border. We need to change course on the border — not through gimmicks, but through real policy changes.”
Rep. Cole agreed, saying the bill reflects a commitment to keeping Americans safe and secure.
“We’ve invested in the brave men and women who help safeguard our nation each day and bolstered port, maritime, aviation, and cyber defenses. We combat the Biden Administration’s failed border policies that have unleashed chaos and encouraged illegal crossings,” Rep. Cole said. “This FY25 bill sustains our frontline Border Patrol agents at their highest level ever — and focuses resources to build the wall, remove dangerous criminals, and stop the spread of poisonous fentanyl.”
H.R. 8752 now heads to the full chamber for action.