Congresswoman Pou Votes Against Partisan Budget after Republicans Block Litany of Common Sense Amendments

WASHINGTON, DC – Congresswoman Nellie Pou (D-NJ-09), a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, today opposed providing $69 billion – free from guardrails and crucial oversight – in funding for President Trump’s massive partisan budget legislation. 

“Today, instead of sitting down at the negotiating table, our committee considered a nearly $70 billion blank check to fund President Trump’s historically unpopular and misguided budget package,” said Congresswoman Pou. “It’s telling that the Committee brought up this funding package before even having Homeland Security Secretary Noem testify as to the Department’s needs. This legislation is nothing more than a launching pad for Republicans to slash Medicaid and enshrine fresh tax cuts for millionaires. Without any debate or justification in committee by the majority, Republicans are ramming through unfair, partisan legislation like this bad bill without any amendments. The inclusion of some items I support, such as funding for border security personnel, technology, and World Cup security, does not make up for the vast flaws in this bill and this partisan process. For all these reasons, I voted no.”

On her amendment blocked by Republicans, Pou said this: 

“Every attempt made today by Democrats to add common sense components to improve American national security was blocked by Republicans – every single one. This includes my own amendment to unlock grants for first responders, local governments, and houses of worship that FEMA has had frozen for months. Today, Republicans said no to national security, no to public safety, and said yes to tax cuts for the wealthiest.”

Among the common sense amendments voted down by Republicans include:

• Prohibit FEMA funding awarded to states from being frozen. 

• Protecting children with cancer from being deported.

• Disallowing funds from being used to separate parents from their children. 

• Ensuring that no American citizen is sent to a prison abroad.

• Protecting the due process rights of American citizens. 

• Ensuring that employees of the Department of Homeland Security have collective bargaining rights.

• Making clear that any ruling by the Supreme Court is obeyed.

• Increasing resources to combat hate crimes, Islamophobia and antisemitism. 

• Preventing funds from being used to eliminate FEMA, which would handicap disaster response. 

• Increasing job security and protections for veterans. 

• Providing funding for the 2028 Paralympics.

###