Jose Luis Correa: “I say to you, if you want to reduce fentanyl on our streets, I ask you to vote for this amendment. This amendment No. 13…”

“I say to you, if you want to reduce fentanyl on our streets, I ask you to vote for this amendment. This amendment No. 13 simply allows CBP to hire additional CBP officers at our ports of entry in addition to new CBP Border Patrol agents. Our ports of entry today are the economic engine of our country. They are vital gateways for our international commerce, travel, and they collect more than $112 billion in duties and taxes every year, but our ports of entry are understaffed. CBP has told us they need 4,000 more agents at our ports of entry. As you know, about 90 percent of fentanyl seizures and other narcotics actually happen at our ports of entry. That is with only 2 percent of the vehicles crossing being inspected. That is with only 17 percent of cargo coming across those ports of entries being inspected. If you want to stop and if you want to seize more fentanyl, you need to hire more agents at our ports of entry. It is very simple. Today, this bill that I am amending calls for 2,000 more border agents, but only 150 new officers at our ports of entry. Let me repeat: This bill only calls for 150 new agents at our ports of entry, and my amendment simply says: Give the CBP, our folks at the border, the ability and the flexibility to determine who they hire--ports of entry, or between ports of entry. Those experts that are there protecting our borders day in and day out should make that decision. Again, Mr.…”