Secure the Southwest Border Act of 2014

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CARTER. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security and as a native Texan, I am uniquely familiar with our southern border. I am also uniquely familiar with the national security crisis and law enforcement nightmare erupting on that border, primarily in my State of Texas.

Mr. Speaker, as I have often said, and said yesterday, lawlessness breeds lawlessness. The crisis unfolding on our border is in very large part a result of the President's political decision to not enforce the immigration laws of this Nation. The House intends to correct that tonight.

In many ways this bill is similar to the legislation the House considered yesterday, but it has some important improvements. Once again, the funding in this package is fully offset and provides the resources needed to address the immediate crisis. This bill also includes the necessary policy changes to bring parity to the adjudication and repatriation of these children. Many of these provisions are borrowed from a bill I drafted along with Robert Aderholt and Jack Kingston, H.R. 5143, the Protection of Children Act.

This bill expands the tools available to our Border Patrol agents and allows them to better and more quickly screen the influx of migrant children. It ensures a timely trial so that no child will have to wait in limbo for months or years to find out whether or not they will be able to stay in the United States. It includes crucial language to prevent these children from being placed with criminals, sex offenders, or human traffickers. And finally, this bill provides additional resources for our border Governors as they work to assist Federal officials and keep our citizens safe.

I urge my colleagues to join me and others in supporting this strong bill. Lawlessness has bred this lawlessness. We must stop it and secure our border.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source