Border Tunnel Task Force Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and thank the young chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, the gentleman from Austin, Texas, who has had the responsibility and the authority vested in him as chairman of the committee to make sure that we look at, approach, and correct the problems that we have at our borders. I want to thank the distinguished gentleman for his years of service not only to the Department of Justice, but to the American people and the rule of law.

Mr. Speaker, every day we in Texas and around the United States deal with crime, drugs, and gangs that are streaming into the United States from our southern border. Both Chairman McCaul and I recognize that the challenge that we have ahead of us here in Washington is not only to support and defend our Constitution, but it is actually to defend people who live back home, wherever they might be in the United States.

No part of the United States is safe if our southern border is not effectively taken care of. That is why we are here today with a bill that addresses this issue even further. That issue is that we must secure our borders to halt the flow of drugs that come into our country.

We recognize that one of the most vulnerable piece parts that has been talked about today and that is known by law enforcement is that of the use of tunnels, which evade not only the sight of law enforcement, but take place under the secrecy of those who would intend to bring illegal drugs, narcotics, people, and other unspecified but dangerous items into this country.

These tunnels are difficult to detect without sophisticated equipment or intelligence that advises law enforcement not only where they are, but how they might discover them. Said another way, cartels and criminals are one step ahead of the good guys, our law enforcement.

Just last month, United States Homeland Security agents discovered a 600-foot-long drug tunnel running between a private home in Mexico and an abandoned food restaurant in Arizona. Near the tunnel, they discovered--as has been talked about here today and it is worth repeating--261 pounds of methamphetamines, 14 pounds of cocaine, 45 pounds of heroin, and almost 7 pounds of fentanyl. That is enough to have supplied over 3 million people with dosage units that could cause them not only harm, but also take their life.

Working with Chairman Michael McCaul, our young chairman from Austin, Texas, I am pleased to inform you that earlier this month we introduced H.R. 6740, the Border Tunnel Task Force Act. This bill will enhance not only law enforcement--Federal, State, and local law enforcement--but also Tribal law enforcement with the ability that they need to make sure that these cross-border-related threats are taken care of properly.

First of all, the task force will look at the issue and understand how these cartels and drug gangs make these tunnels, where they make them, and when they make them.

Secondly, the task force will ensure that they are looking out and working together.

Specifically, this legislation requires the Department of Homeland Security to establish a Border Tunnel Task Force, which would be comprised of personnel from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, known as CBP; U.S. Border Patrol; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, known as ICE; and Homeland Security investigators. These groups would work together on border issues where enhanced information could be shared and law enforcement action would contribute to our border security missions.

It is my hope that the establishment of these law enforcement groups will help facilitate not only teamwork among Federal, State, local, and Tribal officials, but they will also help execute coordinated activities to crack down on gangs that continue to seek ways to do their illegal trade and business along our border which places Americans at risk.

In closing, I would like to once again thank Chairman McCaul and his Homeland Security Committee, its members on a bipartisan basis, and their staff for recognizing that this is a true threat against the United States of America, our citizens, and perhaps our most vulnerable, our children.

Their work in protecting our country is paramount, and so I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6740, the Border Tunnel Task Force Act, a bill that will encourage, help, and strengthen law enforcement in this activity. It will protect the United States of America and protect American families from drug cartels and drug trafficking.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the young chairman for his hard work and also the gentleman from Louisiana, who recognized, on a bipartisan basis, that we must protect our homeland.

Mr. Speaker, DHS's Border Tunnel Task Forces have been effective at identifying and closing tunnels through which smugglers illicitly move drugs, launder money, and other contraband into the United States. As such, I support these task forces, but would note that there are two 20-foot-high fences--or ``wall'' as the President likes to call them-- near the U.S.-Mexico border in San Luis, Arizona, the town where a tunnel was discovered under an abandoned restaurant last month.

Logic tells you that when smugglers cannot easily move goods or people over or through physical barriers, they will tunnel underneath.

Importantly, the measure under consideration today includes language offered by Representative Vela, the ranking member of the Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee, to require DHS to determine whether border barriers impact the proliferation of cross-border tunnels.

With DHS having dedicated nearly $9 million over the past decade to remediating and countering cross-border tunnel threats, DHS needs to know whether its wall agenda is driving more illicit cross-border tunnels.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 6740, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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