Thune: Senate Republicans Work to End the Lawlessness at Our Borders
“I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution and ensure that President Trump has the tools he needs to combat the flow of fentanyl from all directions.”
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WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) today delivered the following remarks on the Senate floor:
Thune’s remarks below (as delivered):
“Mr. President, just over two weeks ago the Senate passed the HALT Fentanyl Act with bipartisan support.
“As I said at the time, this bill joins other efforts to combat the fentanyl crisis that is taking so many lives in our country.
“But now Democrats seem to want to take a step backward in that fight.
“They want to end the emergency that President Trump declared that addresses the flow of fentanyl across the northern border from Canada.
“Mr. President, fentanyl moves in a sophisticated supply chain.
“Precursor chemicals are shipped from China to North America – landing in Mexico, Canada, and the United States.
“Those chemicals are then used to produce fentanyl, which is smuggled into the United States across borders or sent through the mail.
“Now, much of the fentanyl that comes into the United States comes through the southern border from Mexico.
“And I’m glad that President Trump has taken swift action to secure the border with Mexico and address the flow of drugs across that border.
“But we would be wrong, Mr. President – we would be wrong – to view this as solely a southern border problem.
“The reality is that fentanyl production is growing in Canada.
“One 30-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police specializing in transnational crime said, and I quote, ‘Canada is a significant platform for transnational networks and one of the most concerning threats for synthetic narcotic production and exportation to our allies, including the [U.S.].’
“Canada’s financial intelligence agency has identified about 100 organized crime groups involved in fentanyl production in the country.
“That’s four times – four times – as many as there were in 2022.
“And Canadian law enforcement has raided drug ‘super labs’ – sophisticated fentanyl production facilities that may have links to the cartels.
“For now, most fentanyl from Canada enters the United States in small amounts – often through the mail.
“But as one cartel member told 60 Minutes last month, cartels are already smuggling fentanyl across our northern border.
“So what will happen if we focus on fentanyl coming across the southern border and from China but fail to address the northern border component of this crisis?
“Will the cartels simply shift tactics and expand their operations to the north?
“I think we can be confident the answer to that question is yes.
“We’ve already seen some illegal immigrants attempt that shift when faced with stricter security measures at the southern border.
“And last week, the FBI director warned the House Intelligence Committee that our enemies will adapt to security measures at the southern border by shifting resources to the northern border.
“Well, Mr. President, if we are serious about ending the fentanyl crisis in America, we need to address the entirety of the crisis.
“We’re not going to solve the problem by going after just part of it.
“Ending this emergency declaration would tell the cartels that they should shift their focus to the [northern] border.
“So I urge my colleagues to oppose this resolution and ensure that President Trump has the tools he needs to combat the flow of fentanyl from all directions.
“Mr. President, this is the second resolution seeking to end an emergency that the Senate has considered in the last few weeks.
“Last time it was ending the national energy emergency.
“Now it’s ending an emergency related to fentanyl.
“The American people recognize that these are legitimate crises, and that they warrant an aggressive response.
“President Trump and Republicans promised that we would unleash American energy and end the lawlessness at our borders, and we intend to keep those promises.”
Related Issues: Border Security, Fentanyl
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