Gluesenkamp Perez Statement on Votes to Support Defense of U.S. Allies and Secure Southern Border

Today, Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (WA-03) released the below statement regarding her votes to pass supplemental appropriations for Ukraine, Taiwan, and Israel’s defense and in support of security at our Southern Border:

“Across the globe, our allies and partners are facing increasing threats to freedom and democracy – and action is long-overdue. Today, I voted to rearm Ukraine against Putin’s Russia, help Israel defend itself, strengthen security in the Indo-Pacific, and get humanitarian relief to innocent civilians in Gaza and Ukraine.

I came to Congress to work across the aisle, get stuff done, and serve as an independent voice for Southwest Washington. For months, I’ve called on my colleagues to stop using these crises as a political football – and I’m glad Congress could reach a bipartisan solution today modeled off the bipartisan Defending Borders, Defending Democracies Act I’ve worked on for months.

It’s the eleventh hour for Ukraine, and helping them fight Putin’s bloodthirsty aggression isn’t only important for global democracy and sovereignty – but it also helps prevent escalation into a costly regional conflict involving more of our allies. It’s clear Putin won’t stop at Ukraine, and it’s in our own national security interest to stop a terrible precedent of predation by the aggressive, expansionist Russian military state.

This legislation will get American-made ammo to Ukraine’s front lines, while supporting our service members abroad, replenishing our nation’s weapons stockpiles, and strengthening oversight of this assistance.

We’re also facing a worsening situation at our Southern Border, and I’m committed to securing our border and halting the deadly flow of fentanyl into our communities.

President Biden has failed to end the crisis at our Southern Border, so I voted to do what he refuses to do: secure our border and stop the violent drug cartels pumping fentanyl into our country.

Every country has an obligation to protect its citizens and secure its sovereign borders, and H.R. 3602 focuses on the urgent need to restore operational control of the Southern Border. Unlike the unworkable and un-American immigration proposals pushed by far-right extremists, this bipartisan bill doesn’t create burdensome government mandates that would harm small businesses, agricultural employers, rural communities, and our economy.

I also voted last month in support of Department of Homeland Security funding to deploy the largest Border Patrol workforce in our country’s history. I’ll continue working with colleagues on both sides of the aisle to fight the fentanyl crisis and work toward a border security solution that delivers for Southwest Washington.”