Time To Deliver On National Security Priorities At Home And Abroad
‘Yesterday, every single Senate Republican rejected the Democratic Leader’s attempt to separate border security from national security… Hopefully, the Senate can now seize a new opportunity to make real progress on legislation that addresses urgent national security priorities - both at home and abroad.’
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:
“Yesterday, every single Senate Republican rejected the Democratic Leader’s attempt to separate border security from national security. As we’ve said for weeks, that was a futile effort that was doomed to fail from the very beginning.
“Hopefully, the Senate can now seize a new opportunity to make real progress on legislation that addresses urgent national security priorities – both at home and abroad.
“So let’s establish a few things going forward:
“It is profoundly unserious to pretend that national security priorities don’t include securing our nation’s borders…
“To warn about borders in jeopardy and not start with the one that’s being overrun here at home…
“To invoke threats facing sovereign nations without a clear plan to uphold America’s own sovereignty.
“Mr. President, I’m not in need of any lectures about on the gravity of the challenges facing national security today.
“I don’t need any admonishments about what’s at stake for America and our allies in Ukraine’s fight against Russian aggression.
“I’m well aware that the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism remains undeterred from trying to kill Americans in the Middle East.
“And I certainly have not forgotten that China – our top strategic adversary – is watching what we do very closely.
“Instead, unfortunately, it’s been the Biden Administration – including our Commander-in-Chief – who have all too often needed reminders about the responsibilities of a global superpower. From Europe to the Middle East, the Administration has reached new heights of self-deterrence.
“With Putin’s forces massing on the borders of Ukraine, the Administration slow-walked lethal assistance. As the Russian offensive unfolded, they held back the most decisive capabilities Ukraine needed out of an unfounded fear of escalation.
“And even with further security assistance hanging in the balance, the Biden Administration has been very slow to sell this urgent measure – and its massive domestic benefits – to the American people.?
“From the outset, the Biden Administration resumed the Obama-era efforts to reset relations with Tehran and removed the Iran-backed Houthis from the terrorism list.
“It is no surprise that Iran has thumbed its nose at these displays of weakness. It’s no surprise that U.S. personnel are facing a spike in terrorist attacks, from Iraq and Syria to the Red Sea. But the Administration continues to pull its punches.
“And meanwhile, Republicans have spent years urging the Administration to start performing even the bare minimum of its fundamental responsibility to secure our southern border and enforce our nation’s laws.
“Right now, the crisis created by the Biden Administration’s neglect is bringing illegal aliens to the United States at a rate of 300,000 a month.
“That’s roughly the population of Lexington, Kentucky, arriving every month. And thanks to an asylum and parole system that desperately needs fixing, many of them are just brought straight in.
“I know many of our Democratic colleagues recognize the urgency of this crisis. I know many of them are ready to help restore sanity at our southern border.
“Well, Senator Lankford, Senator Graham, and other Republican colleagues are still working hard to do exactly that. And there’s no time like the present to join them in those efforts.”
###
Related Issues: Ukraine, Border Security, Russia, National Security, Iran, China
Next Previous
