Scott Votes for Emergency Humanitarian Aid At The Border

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) released the statement below following this afternoon’s bipartisan vote in the U.S. Senate on $4.5 billion in emergency supplemental funding to provide humanitarian aid, including shelter, food and medical care, at the border. The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 84-8.

“Despite our differences when it comes to our immigration policies, I think we can all agree that children should not suffer at our border,” Scott said. “I am pleased the Senate came together in a bipartisan fashion today to pass legislation to provide relief for families, our border agents and tools for additional government agencies as we continue working to solve the broader crisis at our southern border.”

Specifically, The Senate bill provides $2.88 billion for the Office of Refugee Resettlement at the Department of Health and Human Services. This includes:

• $866 to provide licensed shelters and increase the number of beds in state-licensed shelters.

• $100 million for post-release services, child advocates, and legal services
• $8 million to hire additional federal field specialists and increase case management and case coordination services to place unaccompanied children with sponsors.
• $1 million to hire project officers and program monitor staff for the Unaccompanied Alien and Children program.
• $5 million to HHS Office of Inspector General to provide oversight.

The Department of Homeland Security would receive $1.34 billion. The Homeland Security title includes:

• $110 million for overtime and temporary duty for CBP officer.
• $112 million for medical care and consumables for migrants.
• $209 million for ICE to transport children, fund alternatives to detention, pay adjustments of ICE officers, and counter-human trafficking operations.

The bill also provides funding for the Department of Justice to fund new immigration judges, as well as additional funding for the U.S. Marshall’s Service.

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