McMorris Rodgers Sends Bill to President’s Desk to Provide Aid for Humanitarian Crisis at Border

WASHINGTON, D.C. (June 27, 2019) – Eastern Washington Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) today voted in favor of the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, bipartisan legislation to address security at the southern border and provide more resources to improve the conditions at migrant detention centers. This bill passed by a vote of 305 to 102 and now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law. 

“This humanitarian and security crisis along our southern border must be addressed,” said Cathy. “I supported this bipartisan bill because it will give the White House the emergency funds it requested. In addition to providing our border agencies with additional resources, this package specifically targets nearly $3 billion to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide safe shelters and better care to children.”

NOTE: This legislation passed the Senate this week by a vote of 84 to 8. 

Courtesy of the Senate Appropriations Committee, this legislation provides $4.59 billion in emergency supplemental appropriations to address the humanitarian and security crisis at the border, including: 

• $2.88 billion for the Department of Health and Human Services to provide safe and appropriate shelter and care for children in its custody;
• $1.1 billion for Customs and Border Protection to establish migrant care and processing facilities, provide medical care and consumables, and pay travel and overtime costs for personnel;
• $209 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to fund transportation costs and medical care for detainees, conduct human trafficking operations, and pay travel and overtime costs for personnel;
• $30 million for Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse states and localities for expenses they have incurred related to the massive influx of migrants;
• $220 million for the Department of Justice to help process immigration cases and provide badly needed resources to the U.S. Marshals Service for the care and detention of Federal detainees; and
• $145 million for the various branches of the U.S. military who have incurred operating expenses in support of multiple missions along the border.

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