Subterranean Border Defense Act

Floor Speech

Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this bill because we should have more oversight and information on the threat of tunnels going under our borders and the actions our government is taking to counter them.

Tunnels are used by transnational criminal organizations looking to make a profit, and most of the people using them are not Chinese.

Over the past 30 years, cartels have created illegal tunnels under border walls and barriers to smuggle people and drugs into this country and send out money and firearms, including assault weapons.

Since 1990, law enforcement has discovered more than 230 tunnels across U.S. borders.

These tunnels can be sophisticated. In 2019, CBP discovered a tunnel near the San Diego, California, and Tijuana, Mexico, border that was over three-quarters of a mile long.

This bill simply creates an annual reporting requirement to keep Congress informed on the DHS' efforts to counter illicit cross-border tunnels and hold bad actors accountable.

The information this bipartisan piece of legislation requires will help inform Congress of the situation on the border and what authorities or resources might be needed.

Mr. Speaker, I believe this bill is a step in the right direction.

Receiving information from the Department of Homeland Security on an annual basis will improve Congress' efforts to counter illicit cross- border tunnels and hold bad actors accountable.

I support this bipartisan piece of legislation, and I yield back the balance of my time.

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