Dan Crenshaw: “To answer the gentleman's question, the need arises from an exponential rise in the threat from the Mexican drug cartels…”

“To answer the gentleman's question, the need arises from an exponential rise in the threat from the Mexican drug cartels that have taken operational control of our border and flooded our country with poisonous fentanyl trafficking. That is the difference between now and the last 10, 20 years. As long as this program has existed, all law enforcement agencies have had access to it. To the extent that they don't have what they need, it is most likely because their local politicians are defunding the police, but it is indeed up to us to actually prioritize policy. The Department of Defense might not understand because it is not in their purview to understand the needs of domestic border counties. That is not within the purview of the Department of Defense. It is up to us as policymakers to say, look, this is where it needs to be prioritized because we are the ones who actually talk to constituents and understand the problem. I would urge the gentleman to perhaps change his mind and support this amendment because I think it is a good one and timely, given the circumstances we find ourselves in. Mr. Chair, I reserve the balance of my time.”