(Radio Iowa) — Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne was among the supporters of a bill providing humanitarian aid to migrants crossing the U-S southern border.
The U-S House approved the four-point-five-BILLION dollar ($4.5) emergency aid bill 230-195 Tuesday. House Democrats pushed the bill in response to concern over the treatment of children separated from parents at the border as part of the detention of immigrants coming into the country illegally. Axne says the bill addresses the humanitarian crisis at the border.
“I think that we can all agree that we want families and children to be treated appropriately,” Axne says. “So, this is a lot of assistance through refugees at the state licensed shelters, to help folks expand capacities in the small and medium-scale state licensed facilities to reduce reliance and the influx of shelters for children.”

She says it also helps with legal services, and advocates, and then post-release services. It puts some money toward the Office of Inspector General, and federal field specialists and case management services. The West Des Moines Democrat says the bill included provisions for the U-S Department of Homeland Security to boost border security measures. “U.S. Customs and Border Protection got another one-point-three billion,” she says. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement, over 128 million, and federal emergency management money, as well, to assist with all of the migrants coming in, and giving them the capacity to work with that.”

Axne says funding is also included oversight and migrant safety. The congresswoman hopes Congress moves forward in protecting the border, and keeping the country safe–but in a humane way. “We don’t ever want to see children who are supervising other young children, who don’t get an opportunity for a change of diapers. Children that are denied basic things like brushing their teeth. Certainly, these things need to be addressed,” according to Axne.

Iowa Democrats Abby Finkenauer and Dave Loebsack voted for the bill — while Republican Congressman Steve King voted against the bill.