Barbara Lee: “The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration supports humane migration around the world. It is the first…”

“The Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration supports humane migration around the world. It is the first intergovernmental agreement to cover all dimensions of international migration at a time when we are facing a migration crisis, as my colleagues like to remind us. The Global Compact's guiding principles and objectives encompass a range of humanitarian, development, and other migration management activities, most of which the United States Government supported long before the Global Compact on Migration existed. These activities include the provision of lifesaving humanitarian assistance, countering trafficking in persons, border management, access to consular services, and also dignified return and reintegration. In 2022, we saw a 21 percent increase in displaced people around the world. The largest ever single-year increase, and the largest number of people forcibly displaced in written history. It is only common sense to work with others on this challenge. Mr. Chair, I urge my colleagues to oppose this amendment, and I reserve the balance of my time.”