Speaker, I will be unable to vote today on H.R.
2213, the Anti-Border Corruption Reauthorization Act. If I would be
present, I would vote against the bill. While this bill purports to fast track the hiring of Customs and
Border Patrol (CBP) agents in order to ensure our national security, it
would actually water down hiring practices and allow potential
vulnerabilities in the country's largest law enforcement agency. H.R.
2213 would allow certain CBP applicants to bypass polygraph testing. In 2010 Congress passed the Anti-Border Corruption Act, which
mandated CBP applicants pass a polygraph test as part of their hiring
process. This bill was an essential step after an influx of corruption
cases were revealed within the agency--ranging from drug trafficking to
accepting bribes. Decreasing hiring standards as proposed by H.R. 2213
would do exactly what the Anti-Border Corruption Act of 2010 fixed. Instead of finding common-sense ways to expedite the hiring process
without compromising the integrity of the agency, H.R. 2213
irresponsibly cuts corners in an attempt to keep President Trump's
campaign promises of quickly increasing border patrol agents. I am absolutely committed to regaining control of our country's
borders and have continually fought to restrict individuals who would
do our citizens harm--both through terrorist attacks or drug
smuggling--from entering the United States. This ill-conceived
legislation does nothing to ensure increased border security.
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