Jose Luis Correa: “I would say that, on the contrary, this money, this allocation of $100 million, represents additional support for our…”

“I would say that, on the contrary, this money, this allocation of $100 million, represents additional support for our border security, our high seas. Back in my district, like across the country, we have a major spike, an increase, in drug overdoses, deaths as a result of drug overdoses. Our children are being harmed by these drugs that are coming into our country. Our Coast Guard, our admirals of the Coast Guard, are saying this is where the chinks in the armor are in terms of our national defense of our country, of our borders, the high seas. This is not speculation; these are facts. Ships are coming into our high seas loaded with drugs. We do not have the assets to stop them. Nothing could be further from the truth. On the contrary, this $100 million, an additional two ships for the Coast Guard, represents tons and tons of drugs to be intercepted in the years to come, billions and billions of dollars stopped before they reach our land. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”