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Consider who you vote for during border crisis
To the Editor:
I would like to respond to Mr. Loht's letter to the editor on Feb. 21. He makes many good points concerning the border situation and ways to remedy it. I would like to add additional points.
Republicans in the House of Representatives were adamant that they would not pass a bill to support Ukraine unless it addressed the crisis at the border. A bipartisan committee worked for four months to create H.R. 815, which would have overhauled the asylum system with faster and tougher enforcement, as well as given presidents new powers to immediately expel migrants if authorities become overwhelmed with the number of people applying for asylum. The new bill would also have invested in U.S. defense manufacturing, sent $14 billion in military aid to Israel, steered nearly $5 billion to allies in the Asia-Pacific, and provided humanitarian assistance to civilians caught in conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. "If given that authority,(to enforce new asylum limits), I would use it the day I sign the bill into law," President Biden said. On Feb. 7, Senate Republicans rejected the measure, negotiated by one of their own members, Republican Senator James Lankford. "Less than 24 hours after we released the bill, my Republican colleagues changed their minds," Sen. Kristen Sinema, an independent, said. "It turns out border security is…just a talking point for the election." Former president Trump is quoted as saying "Please blame it on me. Please."
Subsequently, on Feb. 13, a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan passed the Senate 70-29; Speaker of the House Mike Johnson declined to present it to the House because it did not address the border. Late last week a bipartisan group of House lawmakers, including Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, unveiled a new proposal to provide defense-only aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan and funds for the U.S. southern border; however, it's not yet clear if GOP leadership will consider it.
Voters who consider the situation at the border to be a crisis, Republican and Democratic, should consider whether they are voting for legislators who are serious about solving the problem.
Joan D. Loewen
Lewistown