Granger Remarks on Senate-Amended Border Emergency Supplemental Appropriations

WASHINGTON – Today, top Appropriations Committee Republican Kay Granger (R-TX) delivered the following remarks on Senate-amended H.R. 3401, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act.

Mister Speaker, I claim such time as I may consume.

I rise in very strong support of H.R. 3401 as amended by the Senate. 

Hundreds of thousands of people have arrived at the border this year.  More than 100,000 have crossed each of the last three months with 144,000 in May alone.

Some of these people are coming through points of entry, but the overwhelming majority are walking through the desert or swimming the Rio Grande. 

Men and women across agencies and departments have been working together night and day trying to respond to the overwhelming surge, and they desperately need resources to cover the growing costs. 

This is a real crisis, and this bill provides funds for all those who are representing us and working without adequate pay. 

As I said just yesterday, we are out of time.  Some of our agencies are spending money they don’t have because they have “must-pay” bills for contracts for food, shelter, transportation, and medical care. 

People are waiting in terrible conditions in the desert, and summer is here.  Children are sleeping on the ground and need to be moved to shelters or homes. 

We need doctors, pediatricians, and caregivers. 

This bill gives the agencies the funds to care for these children, to reduce the overcrowding at border facilities, to repay the states, and to add immigration judge teams. 

The Senate has already passed this bill on an overwhelmingly bipartisan basis.  Now we should do the same and send this bill to the President for signature.  

I urge a strong yes vote on this bill.

I reserve the balance of my time.