News From Congressman Eliot L. Engel

Engel, House Dems Fight Back Against DHS Separating Families at the Border

  Congressman Eliot Engel today joined Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and 106 of his Democratic colleagues in urging the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security to restrict the Department of Homeland Security’s ability to separate families at the border.

The letter urges appropriators to make it clear that no funds for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security may be used to support family separation as a means of deterring future migration. The letter also urges appropriators to restore funding for the Family Case Management Program that provided asylum-seeking parents and their children with legal counsel and connected them to community resources. The letter can be found here.

“These families come to the U.S. seeking refuge, often from violence and environmental disaster in their home countries,” Engel said. “Tearing families apart is cruel, unnecessary, and contradicts the most basic American values. If the Administration won’t do the right thing, then Congress must act to force their hand. Our country is better than this.”

Engel Votes NO on Latest Trump Cuts

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel voted against H.R. 3, a bill to cancel federal spending already approved by Congress.

The bill contains approximately $15 billion in cuts, proposed by the Trump Administration, targeting the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), flood prevention measures, clean energy investments, intercity passenger rail improvements, and other federal supports.

“The same Republican Congress that exploded the deficit with their tax scam just months ago is now willing to sacrifice critical supports for working families, continuing to stack the deck for the wealthy and well-connected against American families who play by the rules,” Engel said. “Children will be among the victims of this political gambit, as H.R. 3 cuts the CHIP contingency fund by almost 80 percent. This fund exists to ensure states can care for children if an unexpected event, like a natural disaster, causes a spike in CHIP enrollment. It also makes damaging cuts to programs that improve our infrastructure, protect our communities, and prepare our economy for the future.

“These cuts are short-sighted and cruel, and their intent is utterly transparent. If Republicans are so concerned about the state of federal spending, perhaps they shouldn’t have blown a trillion-dollar hole in the deficit with the GOP tax scam. I voted No on that irresponsible bill, and I voted No on this one.”

ENGEL STATEMENT ON TRUMP’S G7 RUSSIA COMMENTS

“The United States helped establish and lead the G7 in pursuit of a peaceful and prosperous world. While the other G7 democracies continue to uphold those values, President Trump has isolated the United States, weakened American influence, and alienated our closest allies. So it’s hardly a surprise he’s now looking to the leader he seems to admire most: Vladimir Putin. One of the priorities for the G7 is addressing foreign interference in elections. While Russia may have ‘unique expertise’ in this area, Moscow’s aims don’t align with those of the G7 democracies.

“The G8 became the G7 precisely because of Russia’s illegal annexation of Crimea and the war Russia is waging in eastern Ukraine. Since then, Putin has pressed ahead with his destructive efforts to undermine western unity. With Donald Trump’s reckless trade policy and affinity for Moscow, the American President sadly appears to be Mr. Putin’s willing partner.”