Republican Representative Chip Roy of Texas delivered a bold response to critics of the border wall, stating, “If somebody’s getting all squeamish about the border wall, I mean, frankly my response is: Kiss my a**.” Roy made this statement during a long drive between events in Texas, four weeks before the looming federal government shutdown.
With just 26 days remaining before the deadline to avoid a government impasse and potential damage to the U.S. economy, the expanded southern border wall poses a significant obstacle. Even before its construction begins, the wall has become a source of contention and debate.
When House members return to Washington next week, they will face the daunting task of passing nearly a dozen yearly spending bills in a polarized and contentious Congress.
The first order of business will be a $62 billion plan to fund the Department of Homeland Security, with the House Rules Committee scheduled to begin debating the bill one day after the nation commemorates the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks.
The House bill includes various contentious items, such as reductions in funding for government diversity and climate programs. However, the most divisive issue is the multi-billion dollar investment in expanding the southern border wall.
House Republicans, echoing former President Donald Trump’s campaign promises, have been strong advocates for the border wall for several years. The Republican bill for funding the Department of Homeland Security includes a $2.104 billion allocation for the construction and expansion of the border barrier.
Representative Roy, whose district includes a large portion of Texas, has a seat on the House Rules Committee and emphasizes the importance and necessity of the border wall. He criticizes the Biden administration for attempting to sell off the materials and paying people not to build it, calling their actions absurd. Roy believes that border infrastructure is crucial.
In contrast, Democratic Representative David Trone of Maryland denounces the border wall as a “sixth century solution” and refers to it as a horrible bill. He accuses Republicans of villainizing immigrants with their rhetoric and claims they are spreading bigotry by associating immigration with drug trafficking.
Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee claim that the Biden administration has deliberately sabotaged previous attempts to fund the border wall. They argue that the administration canceled contracts, allowed materials to waste away, and left unfinished sections of the barrier, creating opportunities for illegal migration.
House Democrats strongly oppose the Republican proposal and argue that it wastes billions of dollars on an ineffective border wall. They believe that history has shown that walls do not work and advocate for allocating resources to areas with significant threats, such as ports of entry and interior Border Patrol checkpoints.
Passing the annual appropriations bills to prevent a government shutdown has been a challenging process for the House this summer. With a narrow majority and only a few GOP votes to spare, House Republicans have included controversial provisions in some spending bills, ensuring universal Democratic opposition.
One controversial provision in the Homeland Security spending bill is a prohibition on gender-affirming medication and surgeries for immigration detainees. The bill also reduces funding for climate change initiatives and diversity efforts in homeland security agencies.
Representative Trone, who is also running for a Senate seat in 2024, expresses strong opposition to these proposals and criticizes Congress for hindering progress.
Even if House Republicans manage to secure enough votes to pass the homeland security spending bill, including the funding for the border wall, the legislation is likely to fail in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer emphasizes the importance of funding the government and preventing a shutdown caused by House Republican extremists.
As the Senate returns to session, negotiations and potential standoff between the Senate and the House loom large to avoid a government shutdown.
Scott MacFarlane is a congressional correspondent for CBS News, providing coverage across all CBS News broadcasts and platforms.
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