On the recordSeptember 25, 2019
I thank the chairman and certainly the ranking member for his position on this bill, but I rise with great enthusiasm to support H.R. 2203 by the distinguished gentlewoman from Texas, and as well to indicate to her that I had wished that the joy of doing this would be that we are passing productive legislation, but the sadness is that it is based upon the history and the evidence of what is going on at the southern border where she lives. So I hope those who are waiting for this bill will realize that it is going to pass this House and that we are going to move this bill to the United States Senate and ask the Senate whether, in fact, they believe in the humanity of all people. Let me share with you what this bill is about from my perspective. First of all, I take no backseat to dealing with the border patrol agents, the CBP, and any others. In 2004, Senator Kerry and I, he in the Senate and I in the House, helped contribute to the modernizing of the border patrol, because when I went down to the border, they didn't have the tools that they needed. We gave them the night goggles, we gave them the kinds of equipment that they needed, those heavy terrain vehicles. We gave them the fast boats that they needed.…
