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[Pages H4221-H4222]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CRISIS AT THE BORDER
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Green) for 5 minutes.
Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart, but I
still love my country. I rise today, some 48 days now since the Mueller
report was made public, some 48 days for all who have said that the
President should be impeached and that he has broken the law, some 48
days now the President has been above the law--48 days.
But as we continue this journey, let us remember this: There are
still children who have been separated from their parents. Let us
please remember there is a new story today about this separation. Let
us remember separation doesn't always mean that the child was separated
from a mother or a father, but perhaps a grandparent or some other
person who was a significant other in that person's life, somebody whom
the child had some sense of belief in or belonging to.
And let us remember, please, that these children are among the least,
the last, and the lost. These are not persons who were born into
plenty--likely, born into extreme poverty. These are not persons who
were born in the land of liberty and justice for all. These are persons
who are seeking liberty and justice. These are persons who are trying
to flee harm's way. These are babies.
One can only imagine what grief a parent suffers knowing that the
child has been removed from the custody of the parent and is not able
to be reconnected.
Let us just imagine ourselves: What would we do if our child were
taken from us as we were trying to journey toward freedom, if we were
trying to escape harm's way, and when we finally get to a point where
we think that the laws that are applicable would apply to us, our child
was removed from us? What would we do?
This is the United States of America. These laws are in place. Those
who bemoan the fact that people are coming and seeking asylum should
remember that the law allows what they are doing. They are not breaking
the law when they walk up to the border and say, ``I am seeking
asylum,'' when they give the pronouncement as to why and it is an
appropriate pronouncement. That is the law.
And for our President to make this a big issue now, when he had
control of the House, the Senate, and the Presidency and never sought
to change the law, one can believe that this is done with
intentionality to make it an issue such that he can now claim someone
else is responsible.
But the truth is we are all responsible. The truth is every one of
us, myself included, we are all responsible for what is happening to
these babies at the border. This President is willing to raid every
coffer in the country to build a wall, but he is not willing to go into
those coffers to make sure that children are treated fairly at the
border.
I will close with this, my dear friends, my dear brothers and
sisters,
[[Page H4222]]
all of whom I love. I close with this: If these babies and the babies
that were seen on television this morning peering through some sort of
small space were coming from the northern border--if these babies were
coming from the northern borders, if these were babies coming from the
northern border--would we have the same mindset? Would we allow this to
continue with babies?
We are all responsible, and it is time for us to do something about
this crisis at the border--and doing something is more than building a
wall. A wall will not solve the poverty that they are living in in
these other countries, won't solve the persecution that they have to
endure. A wall is not a solution to a humanitarian crisis.
It is time for us to act on the humanitarian crisis at the border and
for this President to lead the way on acting on the crisis at the
border.
I love my country, and I beg that we would do something to end this
crisis.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to refrain from
engaging in personalities toward the President.
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