Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C.
–
U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.)
,
a member of the Senate Finance Committee
, proposed changes to Senate Republicans’ budget resolution, which as written, would fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) without making necessary and urgent reforms to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Senator Welch’s changes to the Republican budget resolution focused both on reforming DHS and lowering costs for Vermont families.
“Democrats’ demands are both necessary and clear: The Department of Homeland Security—ICE, CBP, and other agents involved in the president’s illegal mass deportation and roundups— must adhere to the same standards as every local and community police department across this country. We want accountability, and we want our communities to be safe. We’re pushing for reforms to this agency, while Republicans are busy trying to jam billions of dollars’ worth of additional funding through on a party-line vote,”
said Senator Welch.
“I also proposed commonsense amendments and reforms that would have delivered support to programs that are crucial to supporting rural farmers and families, and to lowering costs.  They would have benefited red states and blue states alike,”
said Senator Welch
. “I’ll continue to use every opportunity I can to make our country safer and make everyday life more affordable for Americans across the country.”
Senator Welch’s proposed amendments and changes to DHS, ICE and CBP operations included measures to:
Create a portal through the Government Accountability Office (GAO) for Americans to safely report ICE abuses to Congress;
Block the detention and deportation of immediate and extended family members of active duty servicemembers and veterans.
Senator Welch’s proposed amendments to lower costs and make rural America more affordable included amendments to:
Protect the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which was zeroed out in President Trump’s budget;
Safeguard rural and critical access hospitals from funding cuts;
Prioritize small businesses in the tariff refund process and require CBP to distribute refunds to small businesses faster;
Provide relief for tariff-related cost increases to household staples;
Help farmers impacted by increased costs (including fuel, fertilizer, and other costs) associated with President Trump’s war in Iran;
Increase Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA-RD) staffing levels to better serve rural communities; and
Block policies that raise energy bills, including tariffs on materials necessary for grid infrastructure and new taxes on clean energy.
This budget resolution is the first step for Republicans to advance their budget through the partisan reconciliation process.
Learn more about Senator Welch’s work by visiting his
website
or by
following him on social media
.
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