Today, U.S. Congressman Henry Cuellar, Ph.D. (TX-28), Senior Member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, released the following statement after yesterday’s subcommittee markup of the draft FY25 House Homeland Security funding bill:

“I was pleased to join my colleagues to discuss the critical work that the Department of Homeland Security does for our nation. As a senior member of the subcommittee, I have consistently fought to ensure that we have critical funding for border security, law enforcement, and resources to protect our homeland,” said Dr. Cuellar.

“While there is more work to be done to find a bipartisan bill, I was pleased to help secure funding for a variety of priorities including: Checkpoint 29 in Laredo, TX, border technology, Border Patrol overtime pay, as well as funding to support 22,000 Border Patrol Agents and workforce care and suicide prevention resources.”

Specifically, Dr. Cuellar helped secure:

• An additional $15 million to expand Checkpoint 29 in Laredo, Texas, which will help address congestion during passenger vehicle inspections
• Sustained funding for a total of 22,000 Border Patrol Agents
• $160 million for Border Patrol overtime
• $50 million for CBP workforce care and suicide prevention
• $305 million for additional non-intrusive inspection technology
• $171.4 million to sustain current border security technology programs, including autonomous security towers, tactical aerostats, cross-border tunnel detection, and counter drones
• $300 million for border security technology to secure the border
• $4 million for Carrizo Cane remediation
• $90 million for Operation Stonegarden to provide federal resources to local law enforcement agencies in border communities
• Increased funding for child exploitation investigations
• Funding for 50,000 detention beds

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