Political Quotes

“I introduced the U.S. Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act in response to the conditions I witnessed firsthand on our border this year: first in April, then in July, and then again in August. The humanitarian crisis at our border is a problem that we should be working together to solve with an evidence-based approach. This legislation is evidence-based, and I am incredibly proud that it was able to be forwarded by the Committee on Homeland Security with a voice vote. I also appreciated Ranking Member Rogers' willingness to engage with us on this bill, and I am committed to continuing to look for ways to work together on these issues going forward. As introduced, my bill had three sections, two of which are included in the legislation we are debating today. First, my bill ensures implementation of an integrated electronic health records system, or EHR, to be used by those caring for migrants at the border. This is a direct ask from medical officers at the Department of Homeland Security who have identified it as a high- priority barrier to providing care. We know that migrants may be transferred between different sites and components multiple times while in custody, and an interoperable EHR is essential to their health records remaining accessible. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has an EHR. The Office of Refugee Resettlement has an EHR. But Customs and Border Protection, which includes the U.S. Border Patrol, doesn't.…”