One Day After Republicans Heed Trump’s Wishes and Tank Senate Border Bill, Grijalva Blasts Pointless GOP-Only Border Hearing in Arizona
Washington, D.C. – House Natural Resources Committee Ranking Member Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) today issued the following statement on Chairman Bruce Westerman’s (R-Ark.) decision to proceed with today’s border-related field hearing in Sierra Vista, Arizona a day after Senate Republicans voted down legislation that included major changes to border security and immigration. Ranking Member Grijalva called on Chairman Westerman to cancel the hearing last week, following several previous requests to reschedule it.
“Answering the call of their MAGA master, my GOP colleagues have killed border legislation negotiations, and are holding yet another pointless, anti-immigrant, border-bashing rally that they call a committee hearing right next to my district,” said Ranking Member Grijalva. “And they just so happened to schedule it during the Democratic Issues Conference, when they knew my colleagues and I couldn’t be there to confront their hate-mongering rhetoric and same, tired list of gripes with actual facts. I’m not sure which is more brazen—their hypocrisy or their shamelessness.
“And what are my Republican colleagues proposed ‘solutions’ for the border that are so pressing they needed to fly all the way into my district to tout them? A couple of bills to pick up trash, kick migrants out of temporary housing, and build roads that even Border Patrol doesn’t want. The American people, my district, and anyone who believes in the value of governance deserves an apology for this colossal waste of their time.”
Additional Background
Amid Senate negotiations on border legislation, former President Trump made several public and private statements opposing a solution, stating that inaction on the border is better for his campaign. Following these statements, Speaker Mike Johnson called the Senate border deal “dead on arrival,” effectively destroying the bill’s chances of passing. Senate Republicans voted down the legislation yesterday.
In the absence of any viable path forward for major border legislation, Natural Resources Republicans’ hearing memo lists their proposed alternative solutions: H.R. 6208 to address trash on public lands along the border; H.R. 5283 to remove migrant housing from Floyd Bennett Field; and H.R. ____ to build roads along the border.
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