Our Southern Border, only 100 miles away from our district, continues to grow in chaos. Over the course of this past year, I have traveled to the border many times and seen firsthand just how critical of a situation we face. As the Republican Leader on Intelligence and Counterterrorism Subcommittee, I know the measures needed to combat this crisis and I continue to put forward common-sense legislation to secure our border.
Last month alone, 178,840 migrants were encountered along the southwest border, including 114,993 single adults, 51,624 family units, and 11,921 unaccompanied minors. That is over a 142% increase from December of 2020. To make matters worse, only 44% of these individuals were expelled by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under Title 42—highlighting the Biden administration’s refusal to fully utilize the public health authority.
The border crisis is much more than migrants seeking asylum – criminals, weapons, drugs, and trafficked persons are coming across our border in record numbers. In just the first two months of Fiscal Year 2021, CBP arrested 1,682 individuals with criminal convictions and dozens of known gang members, including 42 members of MS-13.
I am committed to securing our border and keeping our homeland safe. This crisis must be confronted head on, and I am committed to doing everything in my power to protect the security and integrity of our homeland from malicious actors. It is well past time the Biden Administration wake up.
This is why I have introduced major pieces of legislation to secure our border and recognize the very real threats of the illegal surge. This week, I joined Mornings with Maria to discuss some of the legislation I have introduced, and reaffirmed our need for a safe and strong border. Click here or below to watch.
Combatting China
Recently, I joined the Republican Study Committee in releasing a bill to combat the rising influence of China.
The measure we introduced has tough sanctions and numerous provisions to stop the Chinese Communist Party from stealing our intellectual property while combatting the threats we face from China in real time.
It is time to get serious about China. Read more about our bill here or below.
Holding President Biden Accountable
As our country continues to grapple with the Covid-19 pandemic, we are facing additional challenges with a lack of supply of COVID-19 therapeutics, including monoclonal antibody treatments. I am committed to immediately addressing the scarcity of these essential and effective treatments, so that our community can have the appropriate tools needed to combat the coronavirus.
Rather than following the successful model that President Trump's Administration laid out under Operation Warp Speed and in using ASPR authorities, the Biden Administration has focused its efforts on constantly changing masking requirements and vaccine education campaigns. As a result, we are suffering from an embarrassingly low supply of effective therapies because of the Administration’s poor judgement and planning since February 2021.
This week, Congressman Dan Crenshaw and I led over 50 of our Republican colleagues in sending a letter to Biden Administration officials, decrying the lack of COVID-19 therapeutic availability, including monoclonal antibody treatments. The American people deserve answers from this Administration in regards to their failure to provide for our health and safety.
I want to remind you that my office is always here to help. Either by calling my offices directly over the phone or through email, or by visiting our website, we are able and ready to assist you. Just some of the way in which we can be helpful:
Flag Order Form: If you would like to order a U.S. flag from our office, please visit our website. You may choose to have your new flag flown over the U.S. Capitol for an additional charge. Flags flown over the Capitol include a certificate, which may be personalized for a particular person, event, or organization.
Grant Application Assistance: Be it federal grants, student aid, or community foundations, my office has resources to help you as you apply for grants.
Military Academy Nominations: The honor of attending a service academy comes with the obligation and commitment to serve in the military for a minimum of five years upon graduation. If you are interested in serving your country and beginning your career at a military academy, please reach out to my office.
Help with a federal agency: If you can't get an answer from a federal agency in a timely fashion, or if you feel you have been treated unfairly, our office may be able to help resolve a problem or get you the information you need.
Commendations and Greetings: If you would like to request a Congressional Commendation or a Presidential Greeting for someone living in the 11th Congressional District please complete and submit the form found on my website.
You can see the full list of resources through which we can be helpful here. As always, please always reach out with any thoughts, concerns, or ideas you may have.
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