Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick successfully added an amendment to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, to meet its budgetary request.
By Tom Waring
The Times
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, successfully added an amendment to the Make America Secure and Prosperous Appropriations Act [H.R. 3354] to restore funding to the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, to meet its budgetary request, so it may fully execute its mission of identifying fraud, waste and abuse.
The amendment reduced funding for DHS’s effort to modernize its financial systems. DHS’s financial systems modernization effort has experienced cost overruns and schedule delays. Fitzpatrick’s amendment ensures funding goes to making DHS a more efficient and effective organization.
“This amendment restores critical funding to the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of DHS operations. Without this amendment, the OIG would have to reduce its workforce, significantly impairing its ability to complete its mission that everyone on this floor can agree is vital to our national security,” said Fitzpatrick speaking on the House floor during debate. “With over 147 reports, 370 actions recommended and 836 investigations [in 2016], DHS OIG has proven to not only be worth every penny, but also a place where dollars spent turn into dollars saved. I am proud to be surrounded by my colleagues of the House Homeland Security Committee who join me in supporting the mission of the OIG.”
Also speaking in support for the amendment were Republican Reps. Clay Higgins, Dan Donovan and Ron Estes.
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Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick, a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, released the following statement last week regarding President Donald Trump’s address to the United Nations:
“I appreciate the president’s strong address to the United Nations today in New York. He was right to call out regimes in North Korea, Iran, Syria and Venezuela; each of these regimes have subjugated their own people and continue to make threats and acts against world order and peace. The U.N. must help align an international coalition against these states and their leaders. The president also highlighted the importance of reforming the U.N. to carry out its noble mission of promoting freedom, cooperation and human rights. This is crucial, and something (U.N.) Ambassador (Nikki) Haley has been an outspoken advocate for. I support that endeavor wholeheartedly. I will continue working with both parties in Congress and on the Foreign Affairs Committee to advance an American foreign policy that promotes peace and stability for all people.” ••
