In the News

By Bloomberg Floor Watchers

I thank the gentlewoman from Missouri. Mr. Speaker, she's given us this opportunity tonight to speak on the growing crisis at our southern border. It is a critical issue that our friends on the other side of the aisle are simply failing to address. Over the course of this government shutdown, many have sought to dismiss the very real challenges that we're facing regarding human trafficking and sexual assault and drug smuggling that clearly are occurring.

Thousands of people are making the dangerous journey to and across our southern border and this has been the result. What these same opponents fail to mention is the perverse incentives that exist for these crimes. For example, our lax immigration laws have encouraged illegal immigration. For example, the dramatic increase in unaccompanied minors and supposed family units at the border are a direct result of our catch and release policies. The President made his case to the American people just a few nights ago and he addressed the urgent need for border security.

And he is precisely right. Securing our borders and protecting the American people must be a top priority of this Congress. It is our duty. And it's important to maintain the strength and the sovereignty of our nation.

A strong America is good not only for our national security and our prosperity, but it is good for all people around the world. As the last great superpower, we have to maintain our sovereignty and our strength and this important to do exactly that. Here's a few of some of the most devastating facts.

We'll hear many of them tonight. Last year customs and Border Patrol agents apprehended 17,000 adults with existing criminal records. In the past two years alone, I.C.E. agents have arrested over 230,000 illegal aliens with prior history committed within our borders.

Violent crimes. Our border agents have arrested thousands of gang members and traffickers and they've rescued countless children from exploitation. By any objective measure, listen, by any objective measure, this a humanitarian and a national security crisis and anyone who says otherwise is either ignoring the facts or being dishonest.

Right now so many of our friends on the other side are refusing to do what they have supported in the past. Simply because it is now in line with President trump's agenda. When President Obama was in office, for example, all 54 Senate Democrats voted for $46 billion in border security and hundreds of miles of border fencing.

What's changed, Mr. Speaker? That's an important question. Do our friends across the aisle need to hear from the families who have lost loved ones at the hand of an illegal alien? Do they deny that children being smuggled across the border deserve reprieve?

Sadly, the legislation that's been put before the House this week fails to address the extraordinary crisis we face. This isn't an honest attempt to end the shutdown. These aren't good-faith negotiations.

This a political stunt. These bills will not be considered by the Senate. They will not be signed by the President. And everybody knows that. Rather than working on solutions, the Democrats here have chosen to waste the people's time with these symbolic votes.

This the immoral act. Not securing our border. What we've done here, what we're doing here is immoral by failing to address this issue.

I commend the President and all of my Republican colleagues for taking this stand and I yield back the balance of my time.