Statement of Administration Policy: H.R. 5230 - Making Supplemental Appropriations for the Fiscal Year Ending September 30, 2014, and for Other Purposes

(House Rules)

(Rep. Rogers, R-Kentucky)

The Administration strongly opposes House passage of H.R. 5230, making supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014. Republicans have had more than a year to comprehensively fix the Nation's broken immigration system, but instead of working toward a real, lasting solution, Republicans released patchwork legislation that will only put more arbitrary and unrealistic demands on an already broken system. H.R. 5230 could make the situation worse, not better. By setting arbitrary timelines for the processing of cases, this bill could create backlogs that could ultimately shift resources away from priority public safety goals, like deporting known criminals. This bill will undercut due process for vulnerable children which could result in their removal to life threatening situations in foreign countries. In addition, the limited resources provided in H.R. 5230 are not designated as emergency, but rather come at the expense of other Government functions.

H.R. 5230 also fails to provide the necessary resources for the Department of Agriculture to address imminent wildfire suppression and rehabilitation needs without resorting to damaging transfers from other critical forest health and fire preparedness priorities. It also does not include the bipartisan proposal for a discretionary cap adjustment to provide funding certainty in the future for these needs.

H.R. 5230 does not include funding for the Department of Defense to support the Government of Israel's request for critical missile defense needs.

H.R. 5230 also waives important environmental protections for National Parks, National Monuments, and other public lands within 100 miles of the border for Customs and Border Protection activities.

If the President were presented with H.R. 5230, his senior advisors would recommend he veto the bill.

The Administration urges the Congress to pass sensible and responsible legislation to address these pressing needs.