Mr. Speaker, last November, the American people sent a strong
message: They want a secure southern border. Having a strong system of
border security is critical to our national defense and the safety and
the security of the American people. President Trump has asked us to
get more boots on the ground protecting our border, and this bill is an
important step in that process. U.S. Border Patrol agencies are the ones serving on the front lines
when it comes to border security. These hardworking men and women serve
day at night at the border, at airports, and at sea and land ports in
an effort to keep us safe. We should be grateful for their service and
their sacrifice. Unfortunately, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, is
woefully understaffed. In fact, the numbers show that we are short
1,000 officers and 1,800 Border Patrol agents. This shortage is making
it harder to secure the border and help keep bad actors out of our
country. That is where this bill comes in.
Keywords matched
Border Protection border security Border Patrol