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Today, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives adopted the Bipartisan Conference Report:

“Serving as the U.S. Representative for El Paso, my duty is to be a voice for our community and our values.

“I commend and recognize the work and effort of the House Democratic conferees to keep our government open, secure investments in key areas – including funding for a processing center in El Paso – and lay the foundation for a strong FY2020 appropriations bill that would meaningfully advance accountability and oversight while promoting our American values.

“But tonight, I voted against this bill, not as a rejection of compromise but as a rejection of the underlying motivations about a crisis at our southern border and against furthering an erroneous narrative that portrays the border as a problem. More than anyone, border residents value safety and security, but the border has never been more secure, and our communities have been safe for decades.

“The challenges we face as a nation – our broken immigration system, thousands of Central American asylum seekers arriving at our doorstep, and the continued trafficking and illicit use of drugs in America – are challenges we have to face head on by understanding the root causes. I look forward to working with my colleagues to address these challenges.” 

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