On the recordFebruary 26, 2019
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding, and I rise in strong support of the rule and resolution to rescind the President's unnecessary and unconstitutional national emergency declaration. Mr. Speaker, having visited the southern border multiple times in the past year, including just last month when I met with Customs and Border Patrol officials, I can say without any question that there is no emergency at the border. We as a nation face serious challenges in reforming our immigration system and stemming the flow of illegal drugs into our country. However, a border wall will do nothing to address these challenges. Research consistently shows that the vast majority of illegal drugs coming to this country through the border are smuggled through legal ports of entry, and most illegal immigration is as a result of people overstaying their visas. All this declaration will do is divert $6.7 billion away from critical military construction projects and drug interdiction operations, hampering our Nation's military readiness and making it more difficult to address real challenges. These are funds that would be better used on projects to improve and build new military family housing or make improvements to National Guard and Reserve facilities throughout our country. Mr. Speaker, we should not be spending a single day wasting time on this ridiculous, misguided executive order from the President. There is no emergency at the border.…





