[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 169 (Tuesday, September 28, 2021)]
[House]
[Page H5471]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





                  SOLUTIONS TO SOUTHERN BORDER CRISIS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
North Carolina (Mr. Murphy) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MURPHY of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, last week, in her attempt 
to deflect from the Biden administration's complete and utter 
devastation at our southern border, White House Press Secretary Jen 
Psaki said: ``There are a lot of Republicans out there giving speeches 
about how outraged they are about the situation at the border, not many 
are putting forward solutions or steps that we could take.''
  Well, she got one thing right: We are outraged.
  We are outraged because, every single day, we hear from constituents 
who are dismayed, angry about this administration's complete lack of 
concern for the safety and well-being of our Nation at the southern 
border.
  They resent the fact that, on his first day in office, the unity 
President gave up on border security and hung a welcome sign in our 
border communities. Biden sent a very clear message to the world that 
our rule of law would not be enforced under his administration.
  Jen Psaki now has the audacity to complain about Republicans 
highlighting a crisis that they themselves created and claims she 
hasn't heard solutions. Jen, if you haven't heard solutions, circle 
back and listen.
  To start, the biggest thing the Biden administration needed to do to 
protect our country was nothing at all. The former administration had 
laid out a clear and effective border security measure that safeguarded 
our communities, protected public health, and incentivized legal 
pathways to citizenship.
  Yet, Biden has systematically unraveled all of the former 
administration's effective policies in the name of lawlessness just to 
score political points with the radical and progressive left.
  I cannot fathom how anyone in a position of authority--Jen Psaki, 
President Biden, Vice President Harris, Secretary Mayorkas--would spend 
more time ignoring our laws than correcting the crisis that they 
created.
  So, Biden administration, now that we have gotten your attention, 
please listen to how you fix this crisis.
  Number one, enforce the laws that are written. Don't undermine our 
national security with political pandering.
  Two, complete border construction. Right now, there are millions of 
dollars' worth of building material rusting in the desert because Biden 
put a halt to the Congress-approved and paid for border construction. 
This is a disastrous waste of taxpayer dollars and a tragedy for our 
border security.

  Number three, reinstate the remain in Mexico policy so that those 
seeking asylum can be processed orderly, without putting our borders at 
risk. We had the buy-in and cooperation of all the Central American 
countries. Biden threw that cooperation out the window.
  Number four, require a negative COVID test before entering into the 
southern United States to actually protect public health. The Biden 
administration's current COVID policy is hypocrisy. Right now, 
international travelers who fly into the United States must show proof 
of vaccination or a negative test, while illegal immigrants can walk 
across the border without any public health requirements.
  I mean, hell, in the midst of the fourth worst COVID surge, Secretary 
Mayorkas himself confirmed that none of the 15,000 Haitians brought 
into this country from under the bridge were tested for COVID.
  The absence of accountability and urgency in this matter is shameful. 
The hypocrisy is disastrous.
  Number five, quit encouraging people to make the disastrous trek to 
America. Just last week, we saw thousands of Haitians and their 
families make the treacherous journey to our border, many suffering 
from heat-related injuries and other diseases. Then, Mayorkas finally 
admitted that over 10,000 Haitians were brought into this country 
without being vetted.
  Number six, promising amnesty, tax remittance, healthcare, and 
sanctuary cities to illegals, stop it. Again, these liberal policies 
are enticing people to break our laws.
  So next time, before Jen Psaki or anyone in the Biden administration 
criticizes House Republicans for talking openly about how to combat a 
national security crisis of their own making, I suggest she circle back 
and revisit all that we have said in the preceding months.
  The great hidden provisions in the new reconciliation package present 
the most disastrous immigration policies in our Nation's history. I 
don't envy Jen Psaki's job of having to defend the destruction of this 
country.
  Mr. Speaker, we are a country of laws. Our laws need to be enforced. 
I continue to fight for the security of this Nation and our southern 
border.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from 
engaging in personalities toward the President and to address their 
remarks to the Chair and not to a perceived viewing audience.

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