FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                             PRESS CONTACT:

July 8, 2014                                                                 Brenda Lopez   956.544.8352

Congressman Vela: Republican Majority Leader Holds up Bipartisan Border Security Bill for 14 Months

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Filemon Vela (D-Brownsville) turned the tables on House Republicans who have been blaming the Obama Administration for inaction on border security.  On May 20, 2013, the Border Security Results Act (HR 1417) was approved unanimously by the Homeland Security Committee for consideration by the full House.  The legislation, also known as the McCaul-Thompson bill, would direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to create a strategy for operational control of the border and would require the establishment of metrics to measure the effectiveness of those efforts.

“It is disingenuous for Republicans to blame the White House for inaction on border security,” Vela said. “The Homeland Security Committee passed the McCaul-Thompson legislation 14 months ago, but the Majority Leader has failed to bring the bill to the House floor for a vote. This bill deserves a vote.”

Vela reiterated his support for comprehensive immigration reform, and reinforced his message that border security and legalization measures should be kept separate. “The process of legalization would provide a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million people who are working in this nation’s hotels, restaurants, and constructions sites, and who make up a significant part of our agricultural workforce,” Vela said. “Border security measures are intended to prevent the flow of illegal migration in the future. We should swiftly address the legalization process and border security, but they should not be conditioned upon each other.”

# # #