Border Security

Floor Speech

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Mr. NORMAN. Madam Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Hartzler for her efforts on this Special Order.

I don't know that I can add a whole lot to what has been said. But let me tell you about a conversation I had with a liberal who did not believe in a wall. He didn't think it worked. He happened to go to the national championship game between Clemson and Alabama.

I asked him: How was the game?

Of course, he was a Clemson fan.

I said: Did you have tickets?

He said: Yes.

I said: Let me ask you, did you have any trouble getting in?

He said: No, I had tickets.

I said: Did you go to a point of entry?

Yeah, we had a line.

I said: Well, could you not just walk in? Was there a wall?

He said: No, there was a fence.

I said: Okay, there was a fence. But was there a barrier, whether concrete or steel? Was there a way that you could not get in and you had to go in to a certain point of entry?

He said: Yes.

I said: Well, explain to me what is different with our country? If anybody can walk in that stadium, would they not take your seat? Would they not violate what you paid for?

He just kind of looked at me.

I said: Do you not see the similarities?

He did, but he didn't want to admit it.

Madam Speaker, I am very frustrated with the inaction of Congress. I am appalled that we haven't taken the security for our great Nation seriously.

How many Kate Steinles are going to have to be shot?

How many Mollie Tibbetts are going to have to be raped and killed?

How many police officers on the border are going to be shot before we say that we have got a crisis in this country?

I have got a chart behind me that shows what $5 billion is to our total Federal budget spending. It is one-tenth of 1 percent. Madam Speaker, you try to look and see what percentage this is. You really can't see it. So as has been said, it is not about the money. I really don't think that those who argue against it can really say that they don't work, as my friend who went to the college football game knows it works, because he said it did.

Now is the time to take action, not to hold this President in contempt, like has been done, for political reasons, having the safety of this country and all Americans at risk.

We shouldn't even have to have this debate. I urge Congress to take action. I urge Congress to put partisan politics behind.

Let's do right for the country. Let's do right for America.

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