[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 97 (Tuesday, June 11, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S3300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                TARIFFS

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, on one final matter, last week's 
announcement of progress in negotiations with Mexico was a welcome 
development. It staved off the threat that tariffs would disrupt an 
important trading relationship and secured a promise that Mexican 
authorities will take more responsibility for their own borders, but, 
as I said yesterday, while this was a critical step, it does not 
absolve Congress of our duty to finally act--not even close.
  It was May 1 when the administration first transmitted to Congress 
its urgent request for supplemental border funding. That will be 6 
weeks ago tomorrow that the administration set up a request for 
supplemental funding for the crisis at the border--6 weeks--and this 
emergency request is essentially falling on deaf ears among our 
Democratic colleagues.
  In the meantime, we should note that the month of May marks a third 
straight month with more than 100,000 individuals apprehended at the 
southern border. In fact, last month's total of more than 140,000 was 
the largest in the last 13 years of CBP data.
  By the way, that includes more than 84,000 family units and more than 
11,000 unaccompanied children. These are enormous numbers of people 
showing up at our border. The American personnel who are charged with 
securing our Nation and looking after these individuals are simply 
overwhelmed. The agencies are overwhelmed. The facilities are 
overwhelmed. It is a true humanitarian crisis, totally unsustainable 
for these individuals for whom our national security and rule of law 
dictate that we need to detain.
  At overcrowded facilities, beds are in short supply, medical care is 
wearing thin, money and personnel from across the Department of 
Homeland Security are being diverted from other important missions on 
an emergency basis to cover shortfalls, but even that cannot go on much 
longer.
  This is from John Sanders, the Acting Commissioner of Customs and 
Border Control. He said: ``We are at a full-blown emergency . . . the 
system is broken.'' The system is broken--that from the head of Customs 
and Border Patrol.
  The professionals whom our Nation has entrusted to keep America safe 
and care for these people have been begging--literally begging--for 
more resources for 6 weeks. Their calls have solidified a national 
consensus that spans the entire political spectrum.
  More than 1 month ago, the editorial board of the New York Times--not 
what you call devoted admirers of the Trump administration--wrote an 
editorial they titled--listen to this headline: ``Congress, Give Trump 
His Border Money.''
  That is the New York Times. They wrote:

       Something needs to be done. Soon. [But] unfortunately, 
     political gamesmanship once again threatens to hold up 
     desperately needed resources.

  That was the New York Times in early May, at the time both Houses of 
Congress were negotiating the supplemental funding bill for recent 
natural disasters, but Democrats chose to come down to the left of the 
New York Times' editorial pages--that is pretty hard to do--and decided 
to deny the White House this border money.
  One Member of the House Democratic conference complained that the 
need for border money was ``political.'' Political.
  Another House Democrat admitted to reporters that his own side was 
the problem. This is what he said: ``In my opinion, we do have to come 
up with some money. But we've got to convince our more progressive 
friends.''
  Again, these are not resources for any remotely controversial cause. 
We are talking about humanitarian funding for caring for families and 
children who show up at the border in need of help. That is what we are 
talking about. This is not a subject where the political left should 
need week after week of convincing, but apparently our liberal 
colleagues just could not get past their animosity for the President, 
even on something like this.
  During these last 6 weeks, the House has found plenty of time and 
energy for purely partisan things. There has been plenty of histrionics 
and political theater. We have seen hearing room melodrama. We have 
seen some partisan messaging votes. We have seen plenty of political 
theater, opposing the President for the sake of opposing him. They have 
had time for all of that but nothing--nothing--for the urgent border 
crisis.
  So, May 5, the New York Times: ``Congress, Give Trump His Border 
Money.''
  May 23, ``Democrats balked at allocating billions of dollars more 
toward border security.''
  June 9, very recently: ``When Will Congress Get Serious About the 
Suffering at the Border?'' Two New York Times editorials say: Give 
Trump the money for the border crisis. This is breathtaking--the 
alliance between the New York Times editorial board and the Trump 
administration being ignored by our Democratic colleagues.

  So look, the question we have been asking ourselves every day as the 
House continues to ignore this crisis is, What is the problem here?
  I suspect it is the question men and women we ask to secure the 
border are asking one another every day. When will our Democratic 
colleagues get serious about this?
  Believe me, we know that our Democratic counterparts are not charter 
members of Donald Trump's personal fan club. We get that. They have 
made that abundantly clear over and over again. Their entire political 
agenda these days seems to be repeating that fact nice and loud, over 
and over again in case we hadn't already heard it.
  We are all plenty familiar with ``the resistance.'' We have seen that 
here in the Senate. That is why we have had so many nominations clogged 
up. But, look, ``the resistance'' doesn't pay the bills. ``The 
resistance'' doesn't produce the funding that the border facilities 
desperately need. ``The resistance'' doesn't plug the holes in our 
Nation's border security or improve humanitarian conditions down on the 
border.
  There is only one way to fix this--bipartisan legislation with 
supplemental border funding. That is what we need to do.
  So for everyone's sake, I think the entire country is hoping that 
Democrats remember their job is governing, not resisting. It is far 
past time to get serious about this and solve this problem.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. THUNE. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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