Congressman Zinke Votes to Keep Government Open, Secure the Border, Reduce Spending

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - Today, Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke voted for H.R. 5525, the Spending Reduction and Border Security Actwhich would have extended government funding through October 31, 2023, reduced non-Defense, non-Veterans Affairs spending by 8%, and implemented a number of border security measures to end the Biden Administration created border crisis. This emergency funding bill would have allowed Congress additional time to pass the remaining eight spending bills from the House Floor and onto the Senate. The bill failed 198-232. Twenty-one Republicans voted with Democrats to defeat the bill.

If passed, this bill would have enhanced border security by resuming construction of the border wall, reinstated Migrant Protection Protocols, ended the relocation of migrants to the Interior of the country, provided funding for additional Border Patrol agents, and fixed the widely abused U.S. asylum system.

The House has now advanced four of the 12 individual spending bills Congress must pass before midnight on September 30^th to avoid a government shutdown, however, the Democrat-led Senate has failed to pass a single bill.

“The Spending Reduction and Border Security Act would have done exactly those two things and avoid a government shutdown.” said Zinke. “When a quarter million illegal immigrants are coming across our border each month and cartels are trafficking drugs and children, every state becomes a border state. Kids are dying in Butte of fentanyl poisoning trafficked from Mexico. Our law enforcement officers are being poisoned when they report for emergencies. If you’re a lawmaker who claims to support spending cuts and border security, there is no reason to vote against this bill.”

Since Biden assumed office, more than a million illegal immigrants, including more than 100 individuals on the terror watch list, have been pouring across our southern border. In August, more than 232,000 individuals were caught illegally crossing the border – the highest number ever in the history of our nation. While Democrats and the White House have done nothing to curb the crisis caused by their failed policies, House Republicans have taken repeated action to authorize new border security measures and increase funding for Homeland Security.

The bill included the following border security provisions:

• End catch and release and prioritizes the deportation of criminal illegal aliens
• Codify the Migrant Protection Protocols, also known as Remain in Mexico that require migrants to wait in Mexico for their hearing date rather than be released in the USA
• Codify the Asylum Cooperative Agreements the Trump Administration signed with third countries requiring migrants to seek asylum in the first country they encounter, rather than abusing our system
• Ban the U.S. government from clothing, sheltering and caring for illegal migrants
• Require the border wall system be completed and aerial and fiberoptic survailance technology be expanded
• Authorize and funds additional Border Patrol and ICE agents to the highest force level on record

Funding levels in the bill:

• Increase funding for National Security and Homeland Security
• Maintain full funding for Veterans Affairs
• Reduce spending by 8-percent across the board in all other areas
• Give Congress a month to finish passing the 12 appropriations bills required to fund the government

Background:

This is the latest action Zinke’s taken to reverse Biden’s disastrous border policies and ensure every dollar appropriated by the government is working for Montanans, not against them.

• Congressman Zinke Takes the Lead on Securing the Northern Border
• House funding bill aims to 'remove the woke' at DHS and restart border wall construction
• Zinke among the first to support Homeland Security Secretary impeachment
• Congressman Zinke Votes to Secure Our Nation’s Border

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