Thune Moves to Block Biden From Diverting Veterans Resources to Address Self-Inflicted Border Crisis

Statement

U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) today introduced legislation to prevent the Biden administration from diverting U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) personnel or funding to address the crisis at the southern border after Title 42 border restrictions are lifted. Rescinding this policy without a viable plan in place to deal with the anticipated fallout would worsen the open-border migrant surge that the United States is already facing.

"The VA's job is to focus on the men and women who bravely served our country, not to rescue an administration from a self-inflicted crisis at the southern border," said Thune. "I'm proud to support this legislation that blocks President Biden from diverting much-needed resources from America's veterans -- in an already strained system -- to address an avoidable situation at the border."

The legislation was led by U.S. Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.).

Thune recently introduced bipartisan legislation that would prevent the Biden administration from lifting Title 42 border restrictions, which barred entry to at least 1 million attempted border crossings, without a coherent plan in place to stop the inevitable surge of migrants. Thune spoke on the Senate floor about the Biden administration's reckless and irresponsible border policies, and he joined his Republican colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas demanding information on the department's plans to secure the border once the Biden administration rescinds Title 42.

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