Hoyer Opening Remarks During Full Committee Markup of Fiscal Year 2026 Homeland Security Bill
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government (FSGG), delivered opening remarks at the House Appropriations Full Committee Markup of the Fiscal Year 2026 Homeland Security Bill. Below is a video and transcript of his remarks:
Click here to watch a full video of his remarks.
“Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. In his speech on election night in 2024, President Trump promised to, and I quote, ‘make America safer and stronger than it has ever been before.’ I wonder if the American people feel safer and stronger now [that] the Administration has purged a third of the staff of [the] Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, as was discussed by the Ranking Member, including almost all of the senior leadership. DOGE also cut roughly a third of the staff at FEMA. My remarks will be redundant, I presume they will get more redundant because these are the concerns that the American people have. Does that make America feel more secure, as floodwaters rise, wildfires blaze, and storms rage through their community?
"I well remember when Superstorm Sandy hit the northeast, 58 million people were at risk. We had a vote on the Floor of the House of Representatives, only I think 49 – it may have been 50 – Republicans voted for Sandy relief out of some 200 members of Republicans there were in the House. Do Americans sleep better at night knowing that Trump has fired numerous top generals and intelligence officials at the behest of Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist with close ties to neo-Nazi organizations? I certainly don't. I doubt Americans do either.
“This bill will make us even less secure and safe. It underfunds our cyber security efforts to stop our adversary hackers from stealing Americans’ data, spreading misinformation, and infiltrating our critical systems and infrastructure. How interesting it is that most experts said that one of the responses Iran could have to our attack would have been cybersecurity attacks, and yet we are making that less secure. This legislation also fails to address the $8 billion shortfall, which has been already referenced to by the Chair and the Ranking Member, in FEMA's disaster relief fund. Sort of like Superstorm Sandy. You're on your own.
“Crucially, it leaves our people vulnerable to violent extremism. I've also been [a] proud friend of Israel and the Jewish community. Jews in America and around the world have feared for their safety and the vile spike in antisemitism following the October 7 terror attacks. That is especially true these past few weeks since the murder of two Israeli embassy staffers just blocks away from our Capitol, as well as the vicious antisemitic attacks in Boulder, Colorado. Jewish leaders across the country have been calling on this Congress to provide at least $500 million for the Nonprofit Security Grant program, which helps synagogues and Jewish communities and other people of faith and organizations protect themselves and their people. While I'm pleased the manager's amendments provided another $30 million for this program – and I want to thank the Chairman, Mr. Amodei, I want to thank you for adding $30 million back to that. I think it is a very good step to take, but the bill falls $170 million short of the request, and the danger rises and the money has been going down. But I do thank you for the increase that you did do.
“These groups need this funding now more than ever, especially considering those security grants were paused earlier this year as part of the Administration's funding freeze at FEMA. Fighting antisemitism, stopping terrorists, upholding our cybersecurity and responding to disasters are not partisan issues, but this is a partisan bill. I hope at the end of this process I can support it, but if it is not significantly changed and the security enhanced, I will not be able to. And I yield back the balance of my time.”