Secure the Border Act of 2023

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, make no mistake: Our border is broken.

This administration, for over 2 years, has been unwilling or unable to secure our southern border.

Statistics show that in FY21, President Biden set a record with 1.9 million encounters. In FY22, he broke that record with 2.7 million encounters. In FY23, President Biden is on pace to break that record once again.

The numbers to my left paint a grim picture of the dire situation along our southern border, and these numbers will only grow worse as title 42 expires.

Republicans from Homeland Security, from Judiciary, from Foreign Affairs, have worked together to craft legislation that will combat the border crisis, a crisis created by the failures of this administration.

This legislation will hire thousands of new agents, pay retention bonuses to our frontline officers, invest in new technology, construct hundreds of miles of walls and barriers, and support our local and State partners.

Congress must fill the gap of leadership created by the inaction of this administration. We must stop the flow of illegal drugs from pouring into our communities. We must end the flood of immigrants that are coming across each and every day. We must support the hardworking men and women of law enforcement who are on the front lines of this crisis.

We will not back down from this fight, and any veto threat by this President be damned. We will deliver security to the American people.

Mr. Speaker, I urge support on this measure.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source