Speech #1130113059

H.R. 5230 would provide only oneseventh of the funds the President requested and would only authorize those funds through the end of September. And of these funds. Madam Speaker. the vast majority are directed towards greater border security and notas is necessarythe humanitarian aspect of this crisis. I have always been supportive of greater border security and providing our nations Border Patrol Agents with the resources they need to protect us. However. our country is already deporting record numbers of peopleover 1.2 million in the past three yearsand there is growing concern among our border communities that their towns and cities are already being negatively affected by our border surge. What these children needand our DHS and HHS officials on the border have requestedare not more boots on the ground. but more judges. health officials. asylum officers. and facilities to temporarily house these children while we determine if they need to return to their home country or are eligible for asylum. This legislation would further militarize our border. without regard to the wishes of our border communities. by authorizing the deployment of the National Guard and make null and void existing Memorandums of Understanding between CBP and the Interior and Agriculture Departments on protecting federal lands under these departments oversight. like Big Bend National Park. I urge my colleagues to demand a vote on a clean supplemental and to vote against this shameful legislation.