RANKING MEMBER SHAHEEN STATEMENT AS COMMITTEE REPORTS HOMELAND FUNDING BILL TO THE FULL SENATE

Washington, D.C. – Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, made the following statement after the Senate Appropriations Committee approved The fiscal year 2016 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill and reported it to the full Senate:

“This appropriations bill is tasked with providing the resources needed for the security of our borders, the safety of our communities, and the protection of our federal computer networks that are under relentless attack from cyber criminals,” said Shaheen. “It’s critically important that we get this bill right. I want to thank Chairman Hoeven for his diligent work in putting this bill together and for incorporating my recommendations and those of my Democratic colleagues. While I strongly disapprove of the overall budget that this bill conforms to, this is a bipartisan product that makes good use of the funds provided. I appreciate that the legislation has not reduced important state and local grants, including fire department grants. Funding certainly could have been improved for these important grant programs and I’m disappointed the Committee did not approve my amendment today that would have done so. However, I am grateful that this funding bill has thus far avoided divisive provisions, similar to those that set-off a partisan standoff earlier this year, that almost caused a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.”

A summary of the legislation and legislative text are here.