On the week of 8/1/14, Congressman Dan Lipinski (IL-3) released the following statement after voting AGAINST The Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Act.  This Appropriations Act allocated $694-Million for increasing the security of the US-Mexico Border.  Lipinski’s statement was as follows:

“Following approval of the House Republicans’ border bill tonight, they approved a related piece of legislation, H.R. 5272, designed to keep the President from taking executive action on deportations.  While I do not support further unilateral action by the President on immigration, this bill was too vague to support.  So to signal my position on this issue, I voted present.”

However, here are some of the details of this border bill:

“Our plan reallocates $694 million to secure the border, provide emergency care, and prevent future arrivals,” House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) said after the vote. “This will ensure that children are reunited with families in their home countries. Our solution addresses the problem humanely, effectively, and expeditiously. The crisis at the border demands our attention. It demands our action. And it demands our immediate and unwavering leadership.”  Included in this bill was $35 million to assist Texas in their costs for additional National Guard to secure our borders as assist with humanitarian efforts.

So in all, Lipinski votes “NO” to $694 million in aid.  He failed to vote “for” humanitarian aid and border security, and, he voted “PRESENT” to stopping the President from taking actions, on his own authority, regarding deportations.  No aid, no border security, no border troops… Why doesn’t Lipinski care about our southern borders?

“There is a crisis at our southern borders and particularly in Texas.  Thousands of Illegal Aliens are crossing the border and Lipinski can’t even be bothered to spend $694 million to assist this crisis?  What is $694 million not enough?  And with his “PRESENT” vote, it did nothing other than let people know he was breathing in the House Chamber!  Is that a Representative with “character?”  At times of crisis, we need some sort of action to help secure our borders and assist in the humanitarian efforts in Texas.  Further supplemental bills may be proposed in the future, if needed.  So, what’s wrong with $694 million… really, Mr. Lipinski?  Human beings aren’t perfect, government is far from perfect and no bill is ever perfect (nor will it ever satisfy every single person it affects).  However, Mr. Lipinski acts as though there is all the time in the world – that no crisis exists.  He’s not Congressman of Fantasia.  It’s the real world and our American citizens needed some sort of immediate support in Texas (and across our southern border states).  Lipinski’s “no” and “present” votes helped NO ONE whatsoever – not in the slightest fashion.  He gave no aide towards immigrants, and more importantly, none to our own Americans!  What this says is “sorry border control agents,” Lipinski can’t help you because he’s waiting for a perfect utopia – keep dealing with this on your own!  One can sum-up Lipinski’s term in office, and that is… PRESENT.”