[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 164 (Wednesday, September 22, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H4870-H4871]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         BIDEN'S BORDER CRISIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Iowa (Mrs. Miller-Meeks) for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MILLER-MEEKS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to discuss the crisis 
along our southwest border during the ongoing public health emergency.
  Last year, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector 
General released a report titled ``DHS Needs to Enhance Its COVID-19 
Response at the Southwest Border.'' The DHS OIG findings highlight what 
Republicans have been saying for 7 months, that U.S. Customs and Border 
Protection does not conduct COVID-19 testing for migrants who enter CBP 
custody and is not required to do so.
  Further, the report notes that without stronger COVID-19 prevention 
measures in place, DHS is putting its workforce, support staff, border 
communities, and all communities and migrants at greater risk of 
contracting the virus.
  It is our responsibility in Congress to ensure that our frontline 
workforce, including the brave men and women of CBP, who put their 
lives on the line daily, are adequately protected.
  More than 6 months ago, I introduced my first piece of legislation, 
the REACT Act, which would require the Department of Homeland Security 
to test all migrants illegally crossing our border who they plan to 
release into our communities. In March, I offered to bring the REACT 
Act to the floor for a vote, but it was rejected by the majority.
  Simultaneously, we are seeing the majority prepare to spend $3.5 
trillion, mortgaging our children's and grandchildren's futures.
  Let's be clear that none of the money in this tax-and-spend package 
would go to CBP. This is while the DHS OIG heard from CBP officials 
that they do not have the necessary resources to conduct COVID-19 
testing. Yet, many on the other side remain unconcerned about the lack 
of testing along our southern border.
  In August, more than 208,000 migrants were encountered along the 
southwest border. This means each day

[[Page H4871]]

approximately 6,700 individuals were encountered.
  To put this in perspective, President Obama's Secretary of Homeland 
Security, Jeh Johnson, stated in his tenure that 1,000 apprehensions a 
day was considered a bad day. We are more than six times that now, and 
on top of it, we face a global pandemic.
  We are currently watching a debacle unfold in Del Rio, Texas, where 
this weekend alone there were estimated to be approximately 15,000 
migrants crossing the Rio Grande. This surge is overwhelming an already 
overburdened system, and the agents and officers of CBP need Congress 
to focus on this crisis.
  While it is promising that CBP will be surging resources to the area, 
it remains extremely worrisome to me that, as the OIG found, CBP is not 
required to test these migrants. And I understand there is also a 
measles outbreak at Fort Bliss.
  Moreover, we will continue to see the border crisis of varying scales 
until we institute policies that will deter illegal immigration.
  Programs such as the Migrant Protection Protocols and Title 42 health 
restrictions should be utilized to stem the flow of illegal migration 
and help keep our communities safe during the pandemic.
  Notably, the DHS OIG report also states that the ``erosion of Title 
42 authority has had a significant negative impact on CBP's COVID-19 
mitigation measures and creates increased risk.''
  I encourage this administration to continue to implement these health 
restrictions for migrants crossing illegally, especially while we see 
new variants emerging.
  As the former director of the Iowa Department of Public Health, I 
know we must ensure that any individuals the Biden administration 
insists on releasing into our communities do not have COVID-19 or other 
infectious diseases. In fact, the Biden administration is recognizing 
the need for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations for another group of 
individuals, those who are being paroled in from Afghanistan.
  I cannot comprehend how we can vaccinate those individuals for not 
only COVID-19 but also measles, mumps, rubella, polio, and any other 
age-appropriate vaccinations that are required by the CDC but not those 
coming across our border illegally.
  It is clear that this administration is creating a double standard 
not only for U.S. citizens and migrants but also for individuals they 
are bringing into this country.
  If I may, I will also add a boisterous happy birthday to my husband, 
Curt.

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