John Hoeven: “I thank my colleague from Maryland and appreciate the opportunity to make my remarks before this session ends today. I…”

“I thank my colleague from Maryland and appreciate the opportunity to make my remarks before this session ends today. I rise to once again call attention to the growing and unprecedented crisis at our southern border. This crisis is a result of the Biden administration's open border policy. It is a function of the Biden administration's failure to secure the border and enforce our laws. In fiscal year 2022, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the CBP, encountered almost 2.4 million individuals attempting to illegally cross the southern border. That was an increase of 37 percent from fiscal year 2021 and a more than 400-percent increase from fiscal year 2020. In the first 6 months of fiscal year 2023, Customs and Border Protection had already--already--encountered more than 1.5 million individuals--a pace that will surpass even the record numbers of last year. Now, with the title 42 public health order set to expire next week, it is only getting worse. Take a look. Anybody can turn on their television and check it out. It is only getting worse. In response to the expected surge of illegal crossings, the Biden administration announced that they are going to send 1,500 troops to the southern border to help with paperwork. Well, it is good they are sending the troops down there, but without a change in the policy, it is not going to get the job done. They are not able to do the job that they can do and need to do.…”