The Biden Crises

Floor Speech

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Mr. BURCHETT. Madam Speaker, when we come to the floor to talk about the border crisis, it is a lot like the film Groundhog Day. If you listen closely, I think you can hear ``I Got You Babe'' by Sonny and Cher, and it is probably echoing through this Chamber as we speak. We expect President Biden to do something about this disaster, Madam Speaker, but just like in the movie, he does the same thing every dadgum day--absolutely nothing.

Two million, thirty-five thousand, ten, that is how many migrants our border agents apprehended at that southern border since President Biden took office last January--over 2 million people. Hiding among the massive crowds of people are smugglers working for drug cartels. They are smuggling in children for all kinds of deviant things. In 2021, over 860,000 pounds of drugs were confiscated from smugglers. More concerning are the smugglers who are not caught.

Fentanyl is among the drugs flooding through the gaps in our southern border. Just a tiny amount of this drug--as small as a pinhead--is enough to kill everyone in this Chamber right now. Opioid-related deaths in the United States topped over 100,000 for the first time last year. 100,000 souls lost. Experts believe fentanyl is responsible for this tragic milestone.

There should be severe punishments for fentanyl trafficking and smuggling this stuff across our borders.

The Fentanyl Trafficker Elimination Act, legislation I recently introduced, oddly enough, sends a clear message to these cartel thugs about their fate if they are caught. Under my bill, convicted smugglers would be locked up in an American prison for the rest of their lives.

More Americans will overdose on fentanyl and die if nothing is done to deter drug smuggling activity or secure our southern border, Madam Speaker, and our Vice President, the so-called border czar, is, frankly, a joke.

Time is not on our side. President Biden cannot waste another day ignoring the border crisis.

Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his, as always, more than a lackluster attempt at governing.

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