Rutherford Praises FY2025 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill

The House Appropriation Committee has passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The bill, which aims to cover ground such as securing the southern border, removing dangerous criminals, countering China and bolstering national security, focusing the Department on its core responsibilities, and supporting American values and principles, is an effort that Republicans support. Urging his congressional colleagues to vote for the bill, Florida Rep. John Rutherford (R) praises it for prioritizing the “safety and security” of the United States.

This week, after the House Appropriation Committee passed the Fiscal Year 2025 Homeland Security Appropriations bill, Rep. Ruther championed it for addressing several issues that are important to Republicans.

“This year’s Homeland Security Appropriations bill provides funding to protect our seaports and airports, makes investments in the cybersecurity of our nation’s critical infrastructure, supports those who protect our nation, including the brave men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and prepares the nation for major disaster response and recovery efforts. Specifically, the bill does what the Biden Administration refuses to do – protect our country’s borders – by providing $600 million for the construction of a southern border wall and funding for 22,000 Border Patrol agents and border security technology to stop the flow of illegal aliens and drugs across our border,” Rep. Rutherford said.

The Florida Republican also shared that the bill would ensure that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejando Mayorkas “funds the detention, transportation, and removal of dangerous criminal aliens from our communities.” Secretary Mayorkas has faced immense scrutiny over his handling of the southern border, and congressional Republicans have even called for his arrest.

Rep. Rutherford also commented on the local benefits that the bill approves, which results in “over $2.5 million to Northeast Florida through Community Project Funding for the St. Johns Hazard Mitigation Infrastructure Improvement Project to provide long-term flood control to over 10,000 residents and 3,000 commercial properties.”

“We must put the safety and security of our homeland first, which starts with building the wall, removing dangerous criminals, protecting our coastal waters, and countering the spread of fentanyl across our border.”