fbpx

Congressman Smith: Reports that he voted against the wall are inaccurate

In a phone interview with MMM this morning, Congressman Chris Smith, R-NJ 4, said that published reports by New Jersey Globe and SaveJersey claiming that he voted with Democrats to reopen the federal government without funding a wall for our southern border are incomplete and inaccurate.

“I am a strong supporter of securing our southern border, including the wall–I voted for $5.7 billion for the wall in December-– and have been throughout my career,” Smith said.  “The bill I voted for yesterday, H J Res 1, would fund the only Department of Homeland Security and only until February 9.”

“Homeland Security’s 245,000 + employees need be working to keep our country safe.  Too many people are furloughed and and those who are working are not being paid.  H J Res 1 would give us a month to create the right solution for funding the wall and overall border security without putting us at risk now by furloughing public safety personnel.”

Smith provided the following facts from the non-partisan Congressional Research Office:

Total DHS Employees: 245,405
212,699 or (85% of DHS employees) are still working during the Shutdown
  • Some are working while being paid. For example, USCIS employees are funded through visa fees. Some FEMA employees are funded through the disaster relief funds that have not dried up.
  • Many officials do not have alternative funding and are therefore forced to work without pay.
  • Customs & Border Patrol agents: 56,000 most still working without pay
  • TSA- 55,000 still working without pay
  • Coast Guard- 44,000 still working without pay
  • Secret Service – 6,000 still working without pay
  • FEMA- 15,200 still working (some will get paid through disaster relief fund)
  • ICE – 16,000 most still working without pay
32,706 are furloughed and not getting paid or coming into work

Smith noted that he voted against H.R. 21 yesterday, a bill that would have completely reopened the government and funded the the rest of the fiscal year through September 30, without funding the wall.

Smith acknowledged that, in voting for H J  Res 1, the bill that would fund the Department of Homeland Security until February 9, that he was voting contrary to most Republicans and that his position on that bill differs from the President’s. (The White House said the President would veto the bill)

“I am 100% with the President on securing our border, but I think we need to get Homeland Security back to work immediately while we continue to negotiate for wall funding.  I believe that we, Republicans in Congress and the President, are in a better position to negotiate if DHS employees are working and paid.”

“Congress should have stayed in Washington through the holidays, like President Trump did, to resolve this issue while Republicans still held the House,” Smith said. “The hardworking patriots of Homeland Security should not have to suffer because we in Congress have not gotten our work done.”

More from my site

Posted: January 4th, 2019 | Author: | Filed under: Chris Smith, Monmouth County News, New Jersey | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

6 Comments on “Congressman Smith: Reports that he voted against the wall are inaccurate”

  1. Freedom_Fighter said at 8:37 pm on January 4th, 2019:

    I’ll bet he’s voted in favor of a lot of walls. In other countries.

  2. Daniel said at 11:23 am on January 5th, 2019:

    Smith “voted against H.R. 21 yesterday, a bill that would have completely reopened the government and funded the the rest of the fiscal year through September 30, without funding the wall.”

    “I am a strong supporter of securing our southern border, including the wall–I voted for $5.7 billion for the wall in December-– and have been throughout my career,” Smith said. “The bill I voted for yesterday, H J Res 1, would fund the only Department of Homeland Security and only until February 9.”

    “Homeland Security’s 245,000 + employees need be working to keep our country safe. Too many people are furloughed and and those who are working are not being paid. H J Res 1 would give us a month to create the right solution for funding the wall and overall border security without putting us at risk now by furloughing public safety personnel.”

  3. I see you can copy and paste said at 3:45 pm on January 5th, 2019:

    Good for you kid.

  4. Gerrymandered and Happy, Thank You said at 8:27 pm on January 5th, 2019:

    Smith is too busy writing editorials about what goes in China to give a hoot about his own constituents going without paychecks. But then he’s another one that only worked for a family business, then 40 years on the public trough.

  5. Has been an impressive said at 10:46 am on January 6th, 2019:

    career so far, no doubt. 40 years of living in VA while representing the good people of NJ and surviving the GRIP screams from the Jim Gearhart’s of the world. Way to persevere Sir.

  6. Mary Leah Taylor said at 12:05 am on January 7th, 2019:

    Will Hurd of Texas
    Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
    John Katko from New York
    Chris Smith of New Jersey
    Elise Stefanik of New York
    Fred Upton of Michigan
    Greg Walden of Oregon
    Peter King of New York

    Hold the line. I live in El Paso Texas. The threat and changes in the past twenty years are real. Do not believe the propaganda. We stand in solidarity with Mexico’s people and all the yellow vest in Europe to Reject the UN migrant pacts signed by Mexico’s and European governments. UN globalist and socialist democrats are attempting to destabilize and take over our countries. Build the wall! Read Thomas Paines, America Crisis had those men not held the line we wouldnt be here today!

    Lookup
    Paloma for Trump
    Oscar El Blue
    Anthony

    These guys are starting the revolt!