Rep. Melanie Stansbury delivered forceful remarks on the House floor during debate over several funding bills and a war powers resolution, outlining a series of concerns about executive authority, federal law enforcement, foreign policy, and public health funding. Her comments accompanied amendments she introduced or supported, which she said were aimed at restoring congressional oversight and redirecting federal priorities.
Stansbury began by addressing what she described as a disconnect between congressional action and presidential conduct abroad. She criticized the president’s overseas statements toward U.S. allies and NATO, arguing that they undermined long-standing alliances and placed the United States in an unfavorable position internationally. She framed her remarks as a call for Congress to reassert its constitutional role as a co-equal branch of government.
A significant portion of her speech focused on Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Stansbury cited recent incidents involving ICE agents, including shootings in Minneapolis, and argued that the agency has operated without sufficient accountability. She accused the administration of encouraging aggressive enforcement tactics and shielding agents from consequences. In response, she introduced an amendment to reduce the Department of Homeland Security budget by $10 billion by cutting ICE funding. She described the proposal as a necessary step to impose oversight and prevent further harm in communities.
Stansbury also addressed foreign policy concerns related to Greenland and the Western Hemisphere. She criticized the administration’s statements about acquiring land in Greenland, arguing that such actions would violate international law, threaten national sovereignty, and strain NATO alliances. She referenced reports of diplomatic and economic pressure from U.S. allies to de-escalate tensions and said the situation illustrated the need for congressional limits on presidential military authority.
To that end, Stansbury reintroduced a war powers amendment she co-sponsored with Rep. Jim McGovern. The measure would direct the removal of U.S. troops from unauthorized hostilities against any sovereign nation in the Western Hemisphere. She argued that without firm limits, future military actions could expand unpredictably and without congressional approval.
Beyond law enforcement and foreign policy, Stansbury turned to domestic health priorities. She criticized a White House proposal to cut $2 billion from behavioral health and substance abuse programs and argued that such reductions would undermine efforts to address mental health crises and addiction nationwide. To counter those cuts, she introduced two additional amendments.
One amendment would redirect the $10 billion cut from ICE toward the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which funds community-based programs for mental health treatment, opioid recovery, prevention, and peer support. Stansbury said this funding increase would more than double current program levels. A second amendment would add $6 billion for community health clinics, with an emphasis on expanding access in rural areas.
Throughout her remarks, Stansbury framed her proposals as an effort to shift federal spending toward what she described as life-saving services while reinforcing constitutional checks and balances. She urged colleagues to support her amendments, arguing that congressional oversight, responsible budgeting, and investment in public health are essential to maintaining trust in government and protecting communities at home and abroad.
Source: Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury on YouTube: “Rep. Stansbury: We must rein in ICE, the president, and support SAMHSA!”
