    [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 36 (Monday, February 24, 2025)]
    [Senate]
    [Page S1306]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                                Border Security

      Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, early Friday morning, the Senate passed a
    budget resolution to lay the groundwork for border, energy, and
    national security legislation. We considered a lot of amendments from
    my Democratic colleagues, not one of which, interestingly enough, was
    centered on border security and very few of which addressed either
    national security or energy security. But that was, I have to say, not
    terribly surprising. After all, the Democratic leader seemed to think,
    to the very end, that this budget resolution had something to do with
    tax cuts for billionaires, even though it has absolutely and exactly
    nothing to do with tax cuts of any kind. I am not sure if he was
    honestly confused or merely felt that he could achieve something
    messaging-wise by pretending this bill had something to do with
    billionaires.
      But for the record, let me review what this bill was about. As
    everyone here knows, whether they want to acknowledge it or not, the
    chaos that President Biden allowed to rage at our southern border left
    a gaping hole in our national security. That is a hole that President
    Trump and Republicans are determined to close. And since day one of his
    administration, President Trump has been fulfilling his campaign
    promise to crack down on illegal immigration and secure our border.
      In addition to surging support to the southern border, his
    administration has been focused on arresting and deporting criminal
    aliens--from rapists and murderers to child sex predators and dangerous
    gang members--and they have made a lot of progress already.
      But as the President's border czar made clear to Republican Senators
    2 weeks ago, these efforts cannot continue without additional funding
    from Congress. So Republicans are moving forward on legislation to fund
    continued efforts to deport criminal aliens as well as provide other
    necessary resources to secure our border, discourage illegal
    immigration, and restore respect for the rule of law. That was what
    Friday's budget resolution was about.
      And it is too bad that my Democratic colleagues aren't interested in
    joining us on border security legislation, but I will tell you, with or
    without Democrats, Republicans are moving full speed ahead. We owe the
    American people a secure border, and we intend to give it to them.
      I yield the floor.
      I suggest the absence of a quorum.
      The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
      The assistant bill clerk proceeded to call the roll.
      Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order
    for the quorum call be rescinded.
      The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.