05/14/2015
On Thursday, the full House was successful in removing Democrat language from the National Defense Authorization Act aimed at helping illegal aliens become US citizens using the armed forces. (See my earlier blog Congressmen Brooks and Brat Fight Illegal Aliens Being Allowed to Enlist in Military.) You can see Rep Brooks’ remarks in the video below, along with Judiciary Chair Bob Goodlatte and Congressman Lamar Smith.
Rep Brooks posted a press release with details of the vote. Note that the result was 221-202, so 20 Republicans voted in favor of allowing illegal aliens to take citizens’ places in the military. The House has 245 Republicans and 188 Democrats.
House Passes Brooks’ Amendment to Protect Military Service Opportunities for Americans, May 14, 2015Washington, D.C. — Today the House of Representatives passed an amendment offered by Congressman Mo Brooks (R-AL) to the FY16 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), by a vote of 221-202. Congressman Brooks’ amendment successfully removed language added by Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) in the House Armed Services Committee that sought to help illegal aliens take military service opportunities from Americans and lawful immigrants. Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry, Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte, and Science, Space, and Technology Chairman Lamar Smith spoke in favor of Brooks’ amendment on the House floor and urged colleagues to support struggling American families and lawful immigrants by voting to strike Rep. Gallego’s language from the NDAA.
Congressman Brooks said, “Today is a great victory for Americans and lawful immigrants who wish to serve America in our Armed Forces. I asked my colleagues to consider how much American families are struggling in an anemic job and wage market and how much the Gallego amendment makes job and income prospects for Americans even worse. It makes no sense to me that, at the same time the Army is downsizing and issuing pink slips to American soldiers serving in Afghanistan, there are Congressmen who seek to help illegal aliens deprive American citizens and lawful immigrants of military service opportunities. I’m pleased the House chose to stand up for American citizens and protect the Constitutional duty of Congress to set immigration law. Today’s vote was the fourth rejection of the President’s unconstitutional DACA program, with Republicans overwhelmingly standing up for the will of the American people and the citizens and lawful immigrants who want to serve our country.”
Congressman Brooks’ House floor remarks:
Thank you Mr. Speaker, Americans in our Armed Forces are being hammered with lay-offs and Reductions In Force. Representative Gallego’s amendment to the NDAA worsens their plight.
Over the past 5 years, 92,000 Armed Forces positions were eliminated. This year, 28,000 military positions will be eliminated. Over the next 4 years, another 38,000 military positions will be cut. Between 2010 and 2019, the Armed Forces will eliminate a total of 158,000 uniformed personnel positions, thereby costing American citizens and lawful immigrants 158,000 military service opportunities.
What is the result? Americans serving around the world today have been handed “pink slips” … while they are risking their lives for America!
That’s outrageous! For emphasis, there is no military recruitment and retention deficit that justifies supplanting Americans and lawful immigrants with illegal aliens.
In 2014, every branch of the military — the Army, the Navy, the Air Force, the Marines — met their recruiting and retention requirements … while turning away thousands of highly-qualified Americans and lawful immigrants.
Each year, there are a limited number of enlistment opportunities. Each time Gallego’s amendment helps an illegal alien enlist, an American or lawful immigrant loses, loses an enlistment opportunity. The ratio is one-to-one. Period. That is the math.
This Congress should support and represent Americans by voting to stop military service opportunities from being taken from struggling American families in order to give them to illegal aliens.
As such, I urge this House to support my amendment to strike the Gallego amendment from the National Defense Authorization Act.
Mr. Speaker, thank you for considering my thoughts and request. I yield back.
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