[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 104 (Monday, July 7, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4204-S4205]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                             BORDER CRISIS

  Mr. CORNYN. This Wednesday, it is reported President Obama will be 
traveling to my State of Texas, but he will not visit the border 
between Texas and Mexico, the site of what he has himself called a 
growing humanitarian crisis. Instead, on his 2-day trip, he will fund-
raise and apparently deliver remarks on the economy. It is a little 
ironic, given the economic boom in Texas relative to the rest of the 
country, that the President would choose to come to Texas and to 
lecture us on what he thinks we should do about the economy, but my 
hope is he would come to learn from Texas and not just give another 
lecture.
  Today, the White House Press Secretary, Josh Earnest, said the 
President was ``well aware'' of the crisis on the border. As the 
distinguished Presiding Officer knows, I recently visited McAllen, TX, 
myself 1 week ago today, and it is heartbreaking to see these young 
children without their parents. It is difficult to hear the horrific 
stories about the journey these children made from their homes in 
Central America through Mexico, dodging assault, kidnapping, various 
and other sundry crimes, and then finally making their way into the 
United States. So it is easy in one sense to see why the President 
might prefer to stay away rather than to come, learn, and listen for 
himself, particularly in light of the sad stories he is going to hear 
or he would hear if he decided to come.
  But I think the problem speaks for itself when the President, who 
would prefer to hang out with campaign donors and other political 
supporters, would decide not to have any interaction with those who are 
directly affected by his failed policies--in this case the failed 
immigration policies that led to a full-blown humanitarian crisis.
  Instead of taking the easy way out, I wish the President would step 
up and lead--and he would learn, perhaps, something he did not already 
know or that he thinks he knows and which is absolutely wrong. It is 
puzzling, and it is frustrating that the President of the United States 
chooses the path he apparently is going to take rather than one that 
will help him solve problems.
  We know the President last week stood in the Rose Garden in front of 
the American people and at the same time he asked for money to help 
address this problem--and it is reportedly on the order of $2 billion--
in the very next breath he announced he is looking at expanding the 
very same policies that have helped create this crisis, create the 
impression there will be no consequences for coming to the country in 
violation of our laws. It is disheartening, it is disappointing, and it 
is extremely dangerous.
  This week, during his trip to Texas, it would take the President less 
than 1 hour on Air Force One to visit the border and to see what I and 
so many of my colleagues have seen firsthand, a

[[Page S4205]]

very sad situation that could have been prevented. But now that it has 
happened, it needs to be addressed in a bipartisan way. He would see 
what I saw, which is children separated from their parents with no 
certainty about the future, children who have endured unspeakable 
hardships and cruelty at the hands of some of the most vile thugs on 
the planet, the cartels, who view them as a commodity as they do drugs 
and weapons. They view these children as a commodity, something to make 
money off of.
  The Border Patrol in South Texas and along the border is doing a very 
professional job under very difficult circumstances, but they are 
simply overwhelmed. Repeatedly, we will hear of the Border Patrol--law 
enforcement officers--basically having to divert their attention from 
doing those law enforcement responsibilities and duties to basically 
taking care of children, making sure they are fed, their medical 
condition is being attended to, and they have a safe place to stay 
while going through the procedures there at the border.
  I commend the Border Patrol and all of our Federal law enforcement 
agencies for making their resources and time stretch as far as possible 
for these children while the Commander in Chief has decided to do 
something else.
  I realize how controversial and polarizing this issue can be, but at 
least in some respects it should take precedence over partisan politics 
and fundraisers.
  What I don't understand is how the President can send us a bill for 
$2 billion--which he reportedly is going to do tomorrow, apparently 
asking us for some changes in the existing law--and then to simply be 
missing in action when it comes to learning for himself the very facts 
that are necessary for him to be able to make the case not only to 
Congress but to the American people for why both of those were 
necessary.
  President Obama evidently needs a wakeup call, and visiting the 
border and learning firsthand about the severity and causes of this 
ongoing crisis will be that wakeup call.
  Again, I urge the President to visit the border this week during his 
fundraising trip to Texas.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Indiana.

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