Courtney Votes to Force Negotiations on Concrete ICE Reforms & End Government Shutdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-02) released the following statement after voting to pass H.R. 7148, which includes a package of five bipartisan full-year funding bills, ends the partial government shutdown, and excludes full-year funding for the Department of Homeland Security to force negotiations on concrete ICE reforms over the next 10 days.

"Passage of this bill, which provides full-year funding for 70% of the federal government - except the Department of Homeland Security, which is handcuffed with only 10 days - is our best and only chance to stop ICE agents' lawless actions that have trampled on the rights of thousands of individuals, resulting in injury and in some cases, loss of life," Courtney said. "I have not, and will not support any full-year funding bill for DHS that does not include critical reforms in law that rein in this out-of-control agency: no DHS agents in masks, no detention of U.S. citizens, ending ICE's unconstitutional policy entering people's homes or arresting them without a judicial warrant, and full independent investigations into the homicides of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, as well as other cases of DHS agents' indiscriminate brutality. Congressional leaders and the White House will be tested as to whether they are listening to the American people's outrage over ICE's lawlessness.

"This bill also ends the partial government shutdown, preventing disruptions to basic services and functions including pay for military servicemembers, Head Start, and air travel. The five full-year funding bills in this package, which do not include DHS, are a rare bipartisan result for Congressional oversight. The bills keep Connecticut's defense industry on a growth trajectory and go a great distance to ensure President Trump and OMB Director Russell Vought cannot hijack Congressionally appropriated funding. Critical programs like Title I funding for our schools and NIH medical research into fighting cancer, Alzheimer's, heart disease, and other devastating illnesses will be better protected in law from Trump cuts."

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