Secure the Southwest Border Act of 2014

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. STUTZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Kentucky for his dedication and hard work in finding a solution to a problem that none of us created here in this Chamber.

I rise today in strong support of this supplemental appropriations bill for the crisis that is going on at our border. I am very proud of our Conference this week, seeking input and solutions from Members, taking the time to make sure that this legislation deals with the problem, and crafting this legislation to make sure that there are no loopholes and that we deal with the specifics and actually put a bill on the floor that should be supported.

Mr. Speaker, the Obama administration has ignored the law and unilaterally established immigration policy without the consent or counsel of Congress. Unfortunately, the humanitarian crisis on our Nation's southern border is the result of a lack of leadership.

To solve this problem, the legislation that we are debating provides critical funding for the National Guard in those States that are seeing an influx. It also authorizes additional judges to hear the increasing caseload that they are seeing grow and grow, more and more everyday. It also makes important reforms to current law to ensure equal and timely due process for all of those unaccompanied minors.

Mr. Speaker, common sense doesn't often prevail here in Washington, but I can tell you that commonsense Hoosiers in my district understand that, first of all, our border needs to be secure, so that our immigration system can then be reformed.

We are a Nation of immigrants. We all have a history in our families of those who have made the effort to come to this great country, and legal immigrants are looking for those opportunities that they have dreamed of.

I thank Chairman Rogers for his work, and I encourage my colleagues to support this legislation.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source