Providing for Consideration of H.R. Secure the Border Act of Providing for Consideration of H.R. Protecting Taxpayers and Victims of Unemployment Fraud Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the rule and the underlying bill, H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act of 2023.

For over 2 years, the Biden administration has continued to ignore crisis after crisis. Just 2 weeks ago, the American people saw that President Biden and the Democratic Party were just fine ignoring our looming debt crisis.

Mr. Speaker, 2 weeks ago, House Republicans kept their promise. They kept their promise to the American people and passed a responsible solution to raising the country's debt ceiling.

Now this week, House Republicans are having to once again clean up after this administration and their reckless policies that are hurting the lives of Americans around the country, but especially in my home State of Texas.

Our southern border is not secure. This administration does not have operational control, and their claim that they have decreased immigration by 90 percent is simply laughable.

President Biden's destructive policies and continued lies to the American people have only worsened this deepening crisis.

My fellow Members and I have heard from law enforcement on the ground that this country has gone from one of the safest and most secure borders under the Trump administration, to an unsustainable humanitarian crisis of epic proportions, and it is getting worse by the hour.

With the expiration of title 42 tomorrow, it will be unfathomable of what will be facing our friends on the Texas border.

This all happened within the first 24 hours of this administration. President Biden sits in the White House and threatens to veto our bill, calling for comprehensive immigration reform, while vulnerable migrants crossing our southern border are raped, killed, or trafficked every single day.

Along with all my fellow Republican Members, I want to see comprehensive immigration reform, but that cannot be done until this crisis on our southern border is under control. H.R. 2 will do exactly that.

Mr. Speaker, this bill will finish the border wall, will provide adequate funding for our Border Patrol agents, and ensure that the migrants most vulnerable, the unaccompanied alien children, are taken care of once they become this country's responsibility.

Mr. Speaker, this bill is just common sense. I urge my fellow Members to support the underlying bill, and I urge support for the rule.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source