Durbin Statement On White House Briefing On Border Security
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today issued the following statement after attending the White House briefing on border security with President Donald Trump and Democratic and Republican congressional leaders:
Let me be clear: Democrats support strong, effective border security. The type of border security that Democrats have long-supported – including increased funding for technology – is what experts have said is needed and actually works. What doesn’t work is an ineffective, expensive, and medieval wall. But here’s what we should all agree on: large portions of the government shouldn’t be shut down while there’s a debate on border security.
Today, we urged the President and Republican leaders to pass the six other appropriations bills, which would reopen most of the government, along with a short-term bill to keep the Department of Homeland Security funded and working while we continue to debate the path forward on border security. The President failed to give us even one reason why the eight Cabinet departments and dozens of smaller agencies in the six bills, which are separate and apart from border security, should remain closed.
-30-