[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 208 (Monday, December 18, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Page S6014]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]



                           National Security

  Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, over the weekend, our colleagues 
continued to make progress toward an agreement on border security. I am 
especially grateful to Senator Lankford for stewarding Senate 
Republicans' efforts to produce meaningful policy changes, fix our 
broken asylum system, and secure the southern border.
  Addressing the border crisis at home is a fundamental part of 
legislation that will help America meet each of the most glaring 
national security challenges we face around the world. And there are a 
number of significant issues our colleagues are still working to 
resolve.
  The effects of years of failed border enforcement are compounded. 
Border security policy is complex. And our colleagues at the 
negotiating table are clear-eyed about the fact that getting this 
agreement right and producing legislative text is going to require some 
time.
  Senate Republicans will not make up for others showing up late to the 
table by waving our responsibility to carefully negotiate and review 
any agreement before voting on it. I am encouraged by our colleagues' 
commitment to keep making steady progress in negotiations over the 
coming week and beyond.
  America is facing a never-before-seen border crisis. An imperialist 
thug is trying to redraw the map of Europe. A repressive authoritarian 
state is preparing to put more of the Indo-Pacific under its control. 
And the world's largest state sponsor of terror is showing us it is as 
determined as ever to kill American servicemembers and disrupt global 
commerce. There is simply no room for falling short here. We cannot 
afford to get this wrong.