Mark Souder: “I have been spent much of my congressional career working narcotics, immigration and terrorism issues on the border…”

“I have been spent much of my congressional career working narcotics, immigration and terrorism issues on the border, particularly as narcotics coordinator in Congress. I worked this even before 9/11. In the year 2002, we issued the most comprehensive border report ever done by Congress. We had 11 hearings, include many hearings on the north and south borders. In addition, I have visited every major border crossing, north and south border, multiple times and, in particular, the largest southern border crossings many, many times, almost annually. I have several amendments in this bill related to counternarcotics and terrorism with CBP and with the Coast Guard. But I want to talk briefly here at this point on the border. Thanks to continued funding and the hard work of the people in the Department of Homeland Security, we have made some progress, particularly since 9/11. That said, in case you haven't heard, our borders are still not secure. Not even close. We have three basic interrelated challenges. And if you can't fix one, you can't fix any: terrorism, contraband and illegal immigration.”