Source: United States Senator for Alaska Dan Sullivan
07.16.21
Policy change would exacerbate southern border crisis and endanger Americans, senators argue
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) signed on this week as a cosponsor of the Securing the Homeland from International Entrants with Life-threatening Diseases Act, or SHIELD Act, legislation introduced by Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to codify the previous administration’s public health order under Title 42 that required U.S. border officials to promptly remove illegal immigrants to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Biden administration is reportedly considering revoking Title 42. U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell (R-N.M.) introduced the companion bill in the House of Representatives.
On Wednesday, Sen. Sullivan spoke at a press conference with 12 of his Republican colleagues highlighting the ongoing humanitarian and national security crises unfolding at the southern border and urging President Biden not to lift Title 42. Additionally, Sen. Sullivan has signed onto a letter to President Biden with Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and 23 other Senate Republicans warning the president about the dire consequences of revoking the Title 42 authority.
Transcript of Sen. Sullivan’s remarks
As John Hoeven and Mike Braun said, 110 days ago, 19 of us—led by Senator Cornyn and Senator Cruz—went down to the southern border and what we saw and what the media who went with us saw clearly was an open border, a humanitarian crisis, a national security crisis, (and) a health care crisis. Clear as day. That is what was going on.
We called for the president and the vice president to come down and do what we did—listen, learn, particularly from those on the front lines. It took too long. The vice president finally went, but she learned the wrong lesson. And if they’re going to learn the lesson of repealing Title 42, that is exactly the opposite thing that needs to happen right now, which is why we’re holding this press conference.
Dismantling even more of what were clearly successful border security policies by the Trump administration is only going to continue all of these crises: national security, health and humanitarian.
What’s really going on here? I think so many of you know it, but the far left of the Democratic Party is driving all of these policies.
Here’s another one that we’ve been talking about a lot: This is the $6 trillion dollar blow-out Biden budget. Where are their priorities? Everybody is getting a double-digit increase in terms of federal agencies, except for two—Homeland Security gets a four percent cut and the Department of Defense gets a two percent cut. Homeland Security and the Department of Defense, what many of us think are the most important agencies in the federal government, are being cut while every other agency is getting massive increases. This is dangerous for our country and something we all oppose.
Other areas: American energy is being killed right now in terms of production and jobs, driving up gas prices at home. The unprecedented level of spending. Inflation is going up. All of this is happening right now—we know what’s happening. This has become the party of Bernie Sanders, and Joe Biden and Chuck Schumer are just along for the ride.
But here’s the thing. None of this is supported by the vast majority of American people, especially not open borders, which is what we’re seeing. I think it’s going to be very clear in November of 2022 that the American people are going to reject these far left policies, especially this one.
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