Consequences for Social Security Fraud Act

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. MRVAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my deep frustration with the unfortunate approach that the House majority is pursuing this week with regard to immigration legislation.

On a personal note, this past week, I held a series of community forums throughout Indiana's First Congressional District, and at each one, the topic of immigration reform and the challenge of securing our southern border was front and center.

Constituents throughout the region expressed great concern regarding the national security implications related to the increase in migrants, as well as the great need for increased border security agents, for administrative judges, for technology to monitor our border, and for the resources to address drug and human trafficking.

More broadly, there was an appetite to comprehensively solve this problem in a bipartisan manner. Further, it requires not only government and Federal contractor employers, but all employers to utilize the E-Verify system to ensure no labor is being exploited, as well as honor our commitment to Dreamers.

At our community forums, we also discussed the devastating impacts of fentanyl, highlighting how our district is home to an international port of entry that must be secure.

In my prior position as a local elected official, I often hosted Narcan training sessions. I recollect one such program during a polar vortex with 60-degree-below wind chills. More than 150 individuals attended that training session because drug traffickers flooded our region with fentanyl-laced heroin.

My office also assisted with burials for many of those who had lost the struggle with addiction. I looked into the eyes of family members who had lost loved ones, and I carry each one of those memories with me. This is real life.

I pull from these experiences every day for my resolve to move forward with real legislative solutions. We are not solving problems by debating bills for political advantage when there is a pending appropriations supplemental emergency request that would fund an additional 1,300 border security agents, amongst other priorities. We are not solving problems by debating bills to try and further divide us when there is a bipartisan policy solution pending in the Senate that regrettably has been declared dead on arrival in the House. This is a national security issue, and I am seeking an immigration solution that is strong, secure, and humane.

I implore my colleagues in the majority party to not jeopardize innocent lives and the safety of our communities by waiting to address this pressing issue until after the election. Let us put those solutions up for a vote so the American people can see if we stand for results or if we stand for political theater.

Mr. Speaker, I thank Ranking Member Nadler for the time.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source