As you are aware, the United States military began operations in Iran at the end of last week. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have been closely following reports and briefings and remain mindful of the military personnel who call Kansas home and are currently serving our country. With developments continuing to unfold, I recently shared a statement. You can view my full comments here.
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This week in Washington, I participated in the House Judiciary Committee hearing focused on oversight of the Department of Homeland Security with Secretary Kristi Noem testifying. During the hearing, I discussed with Secretary Noem the security needs of FIFA World Cup host cities, like Kansas City, as well as providing more and timely information to local communities regarding immigration enforcement actions.
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Rep. Derek Schmidt (KS-2) questioning Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during this week’s House Judiciary Committee hearing. Click above to view full remarks.
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I also met with President Trump’s Border Czar Tom Homan this week to discuss reshaping our country’s priorities and tactics for enforcing our immigration laws in a targeted and transparent manner. I respect both Mr. Homan’s toughness and his professionalism. President Trump chose wisely in asking him to go to Minnesota to refocus illegal alien removal operations.
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Earlier this week, President Trump announced his decision to appoint a new Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. I commend the president for this decision. I believe these leadership changes will help our country reset its approach to enforcement and removal operations, and I look forward to working closely with both Secretary-designate Markwayne Mullin and Mr. Homan to enforce the law, remove criminal illegal aliens to make our country safer, and restore America’s confidence in the dedicated men and women in federal law enforcement whose professionalism and commitment to the rule of law make these important America First deportation operations sustainable.
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On Wednesday, I attended a hearing held by the Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness to discuss a variety of issues within our country’s military installations. I made a point to highlight Fort Riley’s needs during the hearing, particularly the issue of transporting equipment when our personnel are deployed. I appreciate leadership from the Department of Defense testifying at the hearing and look forward to further collaboration.
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Rep. Derek Schmidt (KS-2) questioning Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment during House Armed Services Subcommittee hearing. Click above to view full remarks.
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For most of Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee held a markup to consider H.R. 7640, the Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act. The bill asserts federal supremacy over enforcement of immigration law by pre-empting “sanctuary” jurisdictions from interfering with enforcement of immigration law. Simply put, immigration, in general, is a federal function and is constitutionally vested in the federal government. States do not have the authority to impede the federal government from enforcing federal law, and this bill is aimed at addressing that problem. I was proud to vote for this bill and look forward to its arrival on the House floor.
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Also on Thursday, the House of Representatives voted 221-209 to once again pass the final annual appropriations bill to fully fund the Department of Homeland Security. The House passed this bill once before, but it has been blocked by Democrat members of the Senate. As this bill makes its way to the Senate once again, it is my sincere hope my congressional colleagues pass this final funding bill. Without final approval, those working under DHS and most of its adjacent agencies are continuing to work without pay on behalf of our country.
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Recently, I visited the Bunge facility in Emporia to receive an update on their operations within the soybean industry. Thank you all for the opportunity to come visit.
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I also enjoyed meeting with many Kansans in my office this week during their visits to Washington:
- FIFA World Cup – KC2026
- Kansas Association of Broadcasters
- Leavenworth Waterworks
- Kelly Hills Unmanned Systems
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