[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 17 (Tuesday, January 30, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H277]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
OPEN BORDERS THREATEN AMERICAN INTERESTS
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Iowa
(Mr. Feenstra) for 5 minutes.
Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, President Biden's open-border policies
have rolled out the welcome mat for illegals: for drug traffickers, for
terrorists, and for foreign nationals with ties to China.
Under President Biden's watch, 302,000 illegals were apprehended at
our border in December--the highest number ever recorded--which means
that roughly 10,000 illegal immigrants are crossing our border every
single day.
The chaos and lawlessness must end. That is why I voted for the
Secure the Border Act to finish the wall and fully fund our Border
Patrol agents.
That is why I introduced Sarah's Law, in honor of 21-year-old Sarah
Root who was killed by an illegal immigrant who was driving while
drunk. The law would detain and prosecute illegal immigrants who
seriously injure or kill American citizens.
That is why I also introduced legislation to seize money from the
drug cartels so that we can finish the border wall and keep deadly
fentanyl out of our rural communities.
On my 36-county tour of Iowa, I have heard from countless Iowans who
want to secure the border and keep our communities safe. So do I. I
promise that I will continue to hold President Biden accountable for
his open-border policies that are extremely reckless and destroying our
country. I will vote to impeach Secretary Mayorkas for his dereliction
of duties when it comes to our border. The American people and Iowans
deserve nothing less.
American Strength Must Prevail Against China
Mr. FEENSTRA. Mr. Speaker, China is the greatest threat to our
country and our economy. Over the last several years, China has
deployed spy balloons in our airspace to surveil our military bases,
bought up our farmland, unleashed the COVID-19 virus on the world, and
manufactured deadly fentanyl that is pouring over our border.
We must counter China's aggression with American strength. This
Congress, I have voted to impose sanctions on Chinese fentanyl
manufacturers, condemn China's illegal spy balloons, and ban oil sales
from our Strategic Petroleum Reserve that are going to China.
I am so glad that my bill to ban China from buying American farmland
passed the House last March.
When I am traveling all 36 counties in my district, stopping China
from buying our farmland is one of the top concerns of Iowans. That is
why President Biden must sign this legislation into law to keep
American farmland in the hands of the American farmer and not our
foreign enemies.
While China invests heavily in their military and works to
destabilize our economy, I will work nonstop to protect our families,
farmers, and businesses from China.
On this mission, we cannot falter, and so as long as I am in
Congress, we won't.
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