Reed Urges Passage of Strong, Bipartisan Border Security Bill
WASHINGTON, DC – Ahead of a key vote, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, who supports strong, reasonable, bipartisan border security reform, today warned that Congressional Republicans are out of order when it comes to fixing disorder at the border and implored them to stop blocking bipartisan border security fixes.
Negotiators from both parties worked for weeks to hammer out the strongest and most comprehensive border security legislation in a generation. The measure enhances security, cracks down on smugglers, and creates more orderly pathways for immigration. It includes an overhaul of U.S. asylum laws; would hire thousands of new border agents and add new immigration judges to process cases faster; invests in cutting edge technology to stop the flow of drugs across the border; and provides the president new authorities to close the border when border encounters are exceptionally high. In an effort to win Republican support, it even includes provisions the GOP sought in 2019 under former President Donald Trump.
Although Senate Republicans called for these measures to be included, they did a 180 degree turn and obstructed consideration of the bill after former President Trump urged them to kill bipartisan progress on border security to enhance his own campaign prospects.
“Democrats have demonstrated a clear willingness to strengthen the border and increase screening standards. The bipartisan bill both sides negotiated was endorsed by border patrol agents and would provide law enforcement with enhanced tools to secure the southern border. Democrats are working to end legislative gridlock and provide border agents with effective new enforcement tools to stop the flow of illegal immigration. I urge Republicans to join us,” said Senator Reed. “Democrats support the toughest bipartisan border security bill in a generation. We want a strong border presence that stops illegal activity and rationally evaluates legal claims of asylum for those who line up at border entry points. We’re willing to take tough votes. Republicans should do the same. We need cooperation and solutions, not endless bickering.”
U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK), one of the key architects of the bipartisan border security bill, who was tasked with leading negotiations for Senate Republicans, recently stated that if the bill had been enacted it would have stopped 800,000 entries in just four months.
While the previous version of the border security bill was attached to U.S. foreign aid for Ukraine and Israel, the current bipartisan bill scheduled to be voted on by the U.S. Senate will be a simple, standalone bill, according to Senate Majority Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
