Press Releases

WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) took to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to condemn MAGA Republicans for their hyper political attack on Vice President Kamala Harris, and urged his colleagues to take up bipartisan legislation that would provide the resources and policy fixes required to solve the border crisis. 

(Congressman Kennedy on the House Floor during debate on H. Res. 1371) 

Below is, in part, Congressman Kennedy’s remarks given on the House floor: 

Congressman Kennedy condemned MAGA Republicans for their hyper political attack on Vice President Kamala Harris, saying “This is simply an attack on Vice President Kamala Harris for one reason, because her career is advancing and extreme MAGA Republicans are shuddering. Since Democrats have rallied behind our nominee for President, extreme MAGA Republicans, fearful of a candidacy running on the issues instead of a cult of personality, have rushed this ‘emergency resolution’ to the floor of the House. It has no basis in fact or reality—but that does not appear to bother my colleagues across the aisle. What they should be doing is bringing this bipartisan border bill to the floor for a vote that will create real solutions at our borders. I urge my colleagues to take up the important business of this chamber and end this political charade.”

Congressman Kennedy described the factors driving the crisis at the border, saying, “At the heart of the matter are real people escaping extreme poverty, violence, natural disasters, and persecution. They are leaving their homes, their families, their culture, and their countries to do what many of our own ancestors did—to seek a better life. But what they experience in pursuit of the American Dream is nothing short of a nightmare.”

Congressman Kennedy outlined the impact on agents and communities at both borders, saying, “Unfortunately, because this body has failed to deliver resources to our borders, tens of thousands of personnel who have to do more with less as the crisis worsens ... .The need to act could not be more dire.” 

Congressman Kennedy underscored the need to act on the existing bipartisan legislative solution, saying “Earlier this year, a bipartisan coalition of United States Senators came together for the first time in decades to provide meaningful immigration reform….And what did extreme MAGA Republicans in this body do? Declared it dead on arrival before even reading the bill. Instead of solving real problems, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle chose politics over people. We were sent here to do the opposite. We could be using this time to advance a bill that would improve the lives of Americans, asylum seekers, and immigrants, while strengthening security at the border and boosting our economy.” 

Background: 

Bipartisan border legislation, negotiated in the Senate, would: 

• Invest in law enforcement. The legislation would add 1,500 CBP agents and officers and 1,200 Immigrations and Customs Enforcement personnel to further secure the border.
• Speed up the processing of migrants. The legislation would resolve asylum cases in months—not years—providing a deterrent for migrants without legitimate claims.
• Crack down on illegal drugs. The legislation would fund the installation of 100 cutting-edge inspection machines to catch even larger quantities of fentanyl.
• Improve the immigration system. The legislation would fund 4,300 new asylum officers and 100 more immigration judges.

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