When it’s seedingtimeonourfarm, we seed. When it’s hayingtime, we put upthehay.Andwhen it’s harvesttime, we bring inthecrop. We don’t sit aroundandhope that somebody else will dothejobfor us. We handle ittheMontana way: rolling upoursleevesandgettingtowork.
That’sthekind of mentality that small business owners, farmers, ranchersandhardworking Montanans all acrossourstate bringtotheirjobs every single day.Andit’sthetype of mentality that my colleagues in CongressandPresident Biden urgently needtobringtothetabletosecureourborder.
Montanans know that what’s happening atoursouthernborderright now is a serious problem, plainandsimple. No matter your political beliefs, allowing anyonetoenterthecountry without being properly vetted or going through a legal process underminesournational security.
Thousands of immigrants, most wearing thermal blankets, await processing at a U.S. Border Patrol transit center on Dec. 19, 2023, in Eagle Pass, Texas. (John Moore/Getty Images)
We know that drug cartels are taking advantage ofthese gaps inourbordersecuritytotraffic drugsandpeople acrosstheborder. That needstostop.
14 HOUSE DEMOCRATS JOIN REPUBLICANS TO REBUKE BIDEN OVER BORDER CRISIS
Fortoo long, Congress has kickedthecan downtheroad on securingoursouthernborderandsome have even refusedtofund it. It’stimetostop kickingandgetthejobdone.
When I talktoMontana sheriffsandmayors in communities bigandsmall,they all tell me thatthesituation atoursouthernborderandthedeadly fentanyl crisis are having disastrous impacts onthefolksthey’re sworntoprotect. We can save lives by taking action now.
VideoThestories of those impacted Montana families, local governments’ budgets that are stretched thin,andournational security are front of mind for me when I’vetold President BidenandHomeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that what’s happening onoursouthernborderis unacceptable.
That is why I urged Senate leaders from both partiestoprioritize a solutiontothebordercrisis, one that I believe we should have stayed in Washingtonandworked overtheholidaystosolve.
Thelack of urgency from my colleagues on both sides oftheaisletoaddress this crisis is frankly disturbing.
VideoWhen I visitedoursouthernborder, I stood at a section ofthewall near McAllen, Texas,andspoke directly withBorderPatrol agents whotold methey need additional manpowerandresourcestogetthejobdone. That’s why I’ve worked with RepublicansandDemocratstointroduce bipartisan legislation like myFEND Off Fentanyl ActandmyANTI Drugs Act.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
These bills would give law enforcementthetoolsandfundsthey needtotackle this crisis head on. But politicians who would rather score cheap political pointsandplay politics withourborderblockedourbipartisan efforts.
It’stimefor Congresstoquitthepolitical gamesmanship, putourshouldertothewheel,anduse commonsense proposals liketheones I’ve put forward,andothers,tofinallygetaborderdealdonethat protectsourstateandcountry.
VideoSimply put, protectingourcountry by securingoursouthernbordershouldn’t be a partisan issue – it’s an American issue. Montanans from all political stripes understand thatthecurrent systems in place are broken.They wanttoknow whytheir elected leaders are so dysfunctional thatthey can’t seemtofix it.
My messagetothepresidentandmy colleagues in Congress is simple: It’stimetostop pointing fingers, quit usingtheborderas a political talking point,androll upoursleeves. I’m committedtoworking with anyone, Republican or Democrat,togeta dealdonethatsecuresourbordersandprotectsourstateandourcountry.
Editor’s note: This first ran in the Billings Gazette.
