HIRONO ON DHS FUNDING: WE’VE SPENT FAR TOO MUCH TIME PASSING A CLEAN DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING BILL, NOW LET’S HAVE A SERIOUS DEBATE ABOUT IMMIGRATION REFORM

Washington, D.C. – Senator Mazie K. Hirono released the following statement after the House of Representatives approved the Senate’s bipartisan bill fully funding the Department of Homeland Security through the remainder of the year, without extraneous immigration policy riders attached: 

“The House has spent far too much time on this manufactured crisis. It should not have taken this long to pass a clean, full-year funding bill for the agency charged with keeping our people and communities safe. Now that Congress has funded the Department of Homeland Security, we should have a serious debate about immigration reform. It’s been nearly two years since the Senate passed bipartisan immigration reform. I urge Members of the House to work with the Senate going forward to pass a comprehensive immigration reform package that recognizes that strong families are the cornerstone of our immigration system and economy.”