WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Dave Joyce (OH-14), Chairman of the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee, released the following statement in response to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding in the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 released today.

“In September, I passed my Homeland Security Appropriations bill in the House with bipartisan support that included strong funding for Border Patrol agents, border technology, and the border wall. 

“With a fraction of the House Republican conference planning to vote no on this package regardless of its final content, our hand was significantly weakened at the negotiating table. As a result, we ended with an agreement far from the conservative border security bill I passed through the House just a few months ago. 

“However, I cannot and will not turn my back on the men and women on the frontlines of the border crisis. I am proud to have fought and successfully included funding to hire 22,000 Border Patrol agents, increase border technology by 25%, and raise the total number of ICE detention beds to 41,500 in this bill. 

“At the end of the day, this crisis was started by President Biden. With the stroke of a pen, he can undo this chaos his Administration created. If he does not, the crisis will continue with no one else to blame but himself.”