Senator Collins Offers Amendment To DHS Funding Bill, Speaks From Senate Floor

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Susan Collins spoke from the Senate Floor today about the amendment she offered to break the impasse over the Department of Homeland Security funding bill.

Senator Collins’ substitute amendment funds the Department’s operations, blocks funding for President Obama’s broad immigration executive order issued last November, and maintains the 2012 deferred action program that allowed “DREAMERS” – children brought to the United States by their parents -- to receive legal status as long as they meet certain requirements.

To watch Senator Collins’ speech from the Senate Floor, click HERE.

For a downloadable video file of Senator Collins’ speech, click HERE.

Following her speech, Senator Collins released the following statement about her amendment:

“It is my hope that the substitute I have proposed will provide the Senate with a path forward on the important Homeland Security funding bill. Our first goal must be to ensure DHS remains fully funded to perform its vital mission to protect our people.

“My amendment is straight forward. It mirrors the underlying bill with respect to the funding provided to DHS, while blocking expenditures to fund the President’s unauthorized action on immigration announced in November of last year. It would not affect the Deferred Action for Childhood Admissions program.

“Our immigration system is badly broken, and that is why I supported the bipartisan immigration reform bill that passed the Senate in 2013. While I was disappointed that bill or other legislation did not become law, I do not believe that justifies the unilateral action taken by our President in November of last year. It is contrary to how our constitutional system is supposed to work and undermines the separation of powers doctrine that is central to our constitutional framework.

“I encourage my colleagues to review my proposal which attempts to strike a compromise on the DHS funding bill.”