Hoyer Floor Remarks in Support of the FY 2026 Appropriations Package

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-05), Ranking Member of the Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered remarks on the House Floor in support of the FY 2026 appropriations package to end the partial government shutdown. Below are a video and transcript of his remarks:

Click here to watch a video of his remarks.

"I thank the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee for yielding, and I thank the Speaker. There are five of these bills who are not controversial, or, I suppose, which are not controversial. I urge my colleagues to vote for them to keep the government operating, to make sure that our federal employees come to work and do their job for the American people and get paid for it. There is one bill in this package that is very controversial. There is one bill in this package that the overwhelming majority of our side thinks should not be in the bill. But I remind my colleagues, that bill is funded for the next ten days or six legislative days. And during that period of time, we intend to raise very substantial concerns about the operations that are being carried out not only in Minneapolis but in other parts of our country by the Immigration, Customs, and Border Patrol agents.

"The Constitution calls upon us to establish justice and ensure domestic tranquility. Many of my colleagues I know believe that voting against this bill will make a strong statement about the conduct that we see being carried out by the agencies I just mentioned. Let me suggest to them we need to have focus on that issue, because the other five issues that we face, the five appropriation bills [that] have yet to been signed by the President of the United States and will fund about 76% of the government are things that we have agreed upon. After they pass, after they're signed by the President, there will be a lot of time to debate the operations of Homeland Security and, in my view, the laws that they are breaking, the Constitution that they are not respecting, and the human rights that they are undermining. There will be time for that debate. There will be time for that action. Today is a time to fund the majority of government for the American people.

"Minneapolis has shocked the conscience of America. We ought to be shocked, angry, and disgusted by the taking of [the] life of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. We the People want to end this violent occupation of our cities. We the People deserve answers. The Congress needs to rein in the Department of Homeland Security. That's why I voted and so many of my colleagues voted against funding the Department of Homeland Security. Not because we don't need homeland security, we do, but we need it done within the context of the Constitution and the laws of this country and of our states.

"This Congress needs to ensure the federal government can continue to provide vital services to the American people. Voting for this bill does that, and voting for this bill also gives us the opportunity to constrain six months, - six days, essentially, of funding [the] Department of Homeland Security. Unfortunately, out of the regular order, they're funded for the balance of the year in many recessions. So, this compromise bill serves the interest of funding our government for the American people and giving us the opportunity to constrain and to ensure that there are meaningful, substantive, substantial reforms and restraints placed upon the operations of the Department of Homeland Security, as it must be. It is essential that we unmask Trump's federal immigration agents, forcing them to abide by the local law enforcement standards for use of force and use [of] warrants.

"Throughout this year's appropriations process, we have seen Donald Trump and Russell Vought trample on this Congress's power of the purse. Some won't admit that, some will say it soundly. If there were ever a time for this Congress to exercise that power, it is now. So, let us pass five bills on which we have [an] agreement, and substantially restrain and stop the funding of DHS a week from this Friday, and then come to an agreement on honoring the Constitution, the laws of this country and the conduct of law enforcement. Let's pass this bill and then focus on that which the country wants us to focus on, like a laser for them, for the people. I yield back my time."