U.S. House answers Rep. Ratcliffe’s call to fund border wall

(ROCKWALL, TX — July 28, 2017) Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) voted Thursday for the Make America Secure Appropriations Act, 2018 (H.R. 3219), which passed the U.S. House of Representatives to enhance America’s safety through the construction of a border wall with Mexico. The bill fulfills the recent demand of a Ratcliffe-led coalition of lawmakers for the House not to begin its district work period until following through on President Trump’s request for border wall funding.

“I’m pleased my colleagues stepped up to the plate and joined me in meeting President Trump’s request to prioritize our national security through the construction of a border wall with Mexico,” Ratcliffe said.

“There’s no denying that inaction is simply no longer an option. The legislation we’ve just passed is long overdue, and I applaud it as a huge step forward in securing our borders once and for all.”

H.R. 3219 also contains $584.2 billion in funding to restore adequate military readiness and enhance homeland security, as well as $88.8 billion in funding for veterans’ benefits and programs, and for military housing and bases in the U.S. and around the world.

Additionally, H.R. 3219 contains the following notable provisions:

Prevents the transfer of Guantanamo Bay detainees to the United States
Blocks funds from being used to assist North Korea
Prohibits contractors that fail to comply with federal E-Verify requirements from receiving federal funds
Forbids implementation of the Obama administration’s Waters of the United States rule
Restricts the application of the Obama administration’s Clean Water Act
Provides a 2.4 percent military pay raise
Prohibits a pay raise for members of Congress

The bill also contains Ratcliffe’s amendment to prevent funds from being used for another round of base realignment and closure (BRAC) at the Red River Army Depot. This measure will protect more than 5,000 jobs in the region that provide critical readiness capabilities to the Army.

Submitted press release.

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