Rob Garcia

We should also be very clear, and I think everyone can agree here as part of this committee, that our military is still the strongest in the world.

I think we can all agree that our national security and protecting our great nation and the lives and safety of Americans is incredibly important and remains very strong today.

Was it woke for President Truman to desegregate the armed forces in 1948?

I also want to address this idea that it has been said over and over again that the military is being used by the woke left for some sort of social engineering agenda.

Now, our military is drawn from our incredible people, reflects our ideals and its diversity.

Congress, particularly House Democrats, has also fought for more resources for agencies like the Coast Guard.

We won't solve this issue with only just more patrols. There has to be an orderly process around asylum and around immigration.

I want to just let you all know that... coming by water to seek asylum is also a symptom of a broken immigration system.

I have been certainly approached by a group of workers and some of our hotel workers that have big concerns about some of the PPP loans.

The shameful attack on trans kids and families that we saw that happened earlier today.

The only folks that should be making any decision about trans-inclusive healthcare, gender-affirming care, should be directly doctors or healthcare professionals to those employees.

Every single Republican that is a part of this Subcommittee actually voted against funding for Custom Border Patrol's efforts at the border just recently.

Border security is also about ensuring that our economy is strong and that we are also providing an orderly process.

Our ports of entry are really engines of commerce and are places where our economy is succeeding in the U.S.

I want to mention this, because I think it is important to remind folks that we are all here committed to national security and, of course, to border security.

I also hope that we care about the humanity of migrants who are crossing the border, oftentimes out of desperation or out of suffering in their home countries.

I also want to thank our witnesses for being here this morning. I think we can all agree that all of us here care about a safe and secure border.

I'm very grateful that in May 2021, President Biden ordered the intelligence community to investigate the origins of COVID-19.

I like to say that becoming a U.S. citizen was the proudest day of my life.

I hope that we can get serious about addiction and universal health care.

The infrastructure bill included $430 million for Customs and Border Protection of which most Republicans in Congress voted against.

I am hopeful at the next committee, at the next meeting that we are not using this committee for political stunts and for misinformation.

I hope we can work together to build a just and humane immigration system in our country, one that respects asylum seekers.

The American people are being misled by many Members of this committee and, in the process, are demonizing vulnerable people, including immigrants across this country.

A vast majority of the fentanyl entering the United States is actually by U.S. citizens at legal ports of entry.