Message from the MAJORITY LEADER

Last night, the House passed a compromise funding measure to keep the government open and secure our border with smart and strategic investments. While this is not the bill that Democrats would have written, it represents a good compromise between Democrats and Republicans and received strong bipartisan support. I am relieved President Trump has signed this legislation into law and removed the threat of another deeply harmful Trump shutdown.  However, I remain deeply concerned that President Trump indicates he will declare a national emergency at the southern border to build his costly and ineffective border wall.

I visited Texas and New Mexico this past weekend and can attest that there is no crisis at the border. I joined my colleagues Reps. Veronica Escobar, Xochitl Torres Small, Deb Haaland, and Mary Gay Scanlon on the trip. We toured sections of the border with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol personnel, sat down with local advocates representing migrants fleeing violence and seeking asylum under our laws, and visited a hospitality center for migrants.  There are challenges at the border, but there is not a crisis that requires a national emergency and demands a border wall. Democrats are looking at every legal and legislative option to challenge the President’s decision.    In addition to the funding measure on the Floor this week, the House also passed a war powers resolution to address the United States’ involvement in hostilities in Yemen. After four years of involvement, it’s clear that the status quo is not working and we must set a new course. Similar legislation passed the Senate last year, and I am pleased this resolution passed with bipartisan support.   Finally, I was honored to have the opportunity to pay tribute to my dear friend and former Congressman John Dingell yesterday. He was a great American, a great Member of the House, and a very good and decent man. We will miss him. A video of my eulogy can be found here.

Sincerely yours, Steny H. Hoyer   P.S. Please invite your friends and family to sign up for this newsletter to learn about what House Democrats are doing to lead America in a new direction. You can also get the latest updates and join the conversation on my Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts.

DEMOCRATIC NEWS UPDATE On the Bipartisan Conference Report to Fund Government

On House Democrats’ Trip to the U.S. Border On the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen On the Passing of Congressman John D. Dingell Jr.