TRANSCRIPT: Congresswoman Escobar Speaks on Camp East Montana, GAO Report, Mt. Cristo Rey, and More During Homeland Security Appropriations Committee Markup

This press release from Representative Veronica Escobar (D-TX) was published on 2026-06-11 and titled "TRANSCRIPT: Congresswoman Escobar Speaks on Camp East Montana, GAO Report, Mt. Cristo Rey, and More During Homeland Secu".

TRANSCRIPT: Congresswoman Escobar Speaks on Camp East Montana, GAO Report, Mt. Cristo Rey, and More During Homeland Security Appropriations Committee Markup

Yesterday, Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) spoke during the House Appropriations Committee mark up of the Fiscal Year 2027 Homeland Security Bill. In her remarks, she spoke on seven amendments. She spoke in support of an amendment banning construction of a wall at Big Bend National Park. She also spoke on the six amendments she proposed, two of which were accepted and included into the legislation. The amendment on Big Bend National Park, provided by Ranking Member Henry Cuellar, was to prohibit the construction of a barrier or wall at Big Bend. It was rejected by Republicans. The first amendment provided by Rep. Escobar was to prohibit the design, construction, and operation of immigration detention facilities at military installations. This amendment was rejected by Republicans. The second amendment provided by Rep. Escobar was to prevent the use of federal funds to construct a wall at Mt. Cristo Rey. It was rejected by Republicans. The third amendment provided by Rep. Escobar was to direct ICE to continue the existing required reporting on deaths of formerly detained individuals that occur within 30 days of being released from ICE custody. Recent reporting has suggested ICE plans to do away with this requirement. It was rejected by Republicans. The fourth amendment provided by Rep. Escobar was to provide $50 million in funding for the DHS Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. It was rejected by Republicans. The fifth amendment provided by Rep. Escobar was to direct the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) to submit a report to the Appropriations Committee detailing the findings of the criminal report and OPR’s investigation into the homicide at Camp East Montana. This was a result of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that was published earlier this week in which it was found that evidence related to the homicide was “destroyed or went missing.” This amendment was accepted . The sixth amendment provided by Rep. Escobar was to direct ICE to recover the funds it overpaid to contractors for meal services at Camp East Montana. As a result of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) report that was published earlier this week, it was reported that contractors were paid millions in taxpayer dollars for meals that were not needed. This amendment was accepted . A transcript of her remarks for every amendment can be found below, and a video for every section can be found hyperlinked to the highlighted section of the transcript: Amendment on preventing barrier at Big Bend National Park Congresswoman Escobar: Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I rise to support the Ranking Member's amendment. I don't know if any of you in this room outside of my colleague from Texas, and potentially other colleagues from Texas, have ever been to Big Bend. Big Bend is spectacular. I wish our committee could modernize a bit and we could utilize these screens for A/V presentations. I would love to show you video of Big Bend National Park. I would love for you to see the breathtaking beauty of it and the treacherous nature of it as well. It is miles and miles and miles of mountain scape, rivers, Chihuahuan desert creeks, streams, etc. For those who camp or hike at Big Bend, they are warned: be careful. You've got to have enough water. You've got to know the landscape because you could die out there. And it is so far removed from urban areas that really it is quite the drive to even get out to Big Bend National Park. Texans in that area and really across our state, in a bipartisan way, have unified around saving Big Bend National Park and preventing a wall from going in there. And I'm telling you, ranchers, law enforcement, local law enforcement, elected officials on both sides of the aisle have said, “Leave Big Bend alone.” I want you to imagine putting a wall through the Grand Canyon. That is how we in Texas feel about building a wall through Big Bend, that not only does it not make sense, but it would destroy a national treasure and frankly, it would really negatively impact wildlife and wildlife crossings. The Trump administration has been very inconsistent in what it has told residents and Texans about a wall or about barriers. And frankly, the people of Texas, especially the people of Texas who love Big Bend, deserve an answer. We have heard from the CBP commissioner and others that no wall will go in there. If that's true, that's great. Let's give Texans then, the assurance that Congress will stand by that commitment, and that we will not allow Big Bend to be destroyed. You know, the the other component of this that is really scary - I mentioned that there have been mixed signals from the administration - the administration recently waived all environmental laws. And so, Chairman Amodei, you know, I echo what all of our colleagues have said about your leadership, how grateful we all are for your partnership, your friendship, and how much you will be missed. You have said that it would not be responsible