Republican Study Committee organizes letter supporting inclusion of Border Security steps in debt talks

By: City Sentinel Staff 

Washington, D.C. – Thursday morning, U.S. Congressman Kevin Hern of Oklahoma – the Republican Study Committee (RSC) Chairman -- and RSC Budget and Spending Task Force Chairman Ben Cline of Virginia led 55 colleagues who in early afternoon sent a letter to President Joe Biden, Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, R-California, House Minority Leader Jim Jeffries, R-Kansas, Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D-New York, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky.

The letter was also sent to the lead negotiators Rep. Garrett Graves, R-Louisiana, Shalanda Young, director Office of Management and Budget, and Steve Riccheti, Counselor to the President, calling for inclusion of House Resolution 2 and other border security measures in the final debt limit negotiations.

The document assigned blame for the border crisis to the current administration, saying: "As we speak, the United States is experiencing a rapidly worsening border crisis and barreling toward a debt limit crisis. Let’s be very clear, these crises are a direct product of the failed policies and neglect of President Biden and Congressional Democrats. We believe each of these issues should be considered together during your current debt limit negotiations."

The text of the letter reviewed border issues and the debt crunch from the perspective of the conservative Republicans who work through the RSC. More than a historical narrative, the letter is a direct criticism of the president and his policies, including this:

"When President Biden was asked if the country would be ready for the end of Title 42, he only offered, 'It is going to be chaotic for a while.' Prior to Title 42’s expiration, House Republicans did their job by passing H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act. President Biden threatened to veto it.

"The present border crisis may go down as the most preventable debacle in our nation’s history. Rather than continuing the successful border policies of the previous administration, President Biden halted border wall construction and reversed successful policies like the Migration Protection Protocols (MPP). While Biden inherited the lowest rate of illegal border crossings in decades, he has overseen the largest number of illegal border crossings of any Presidential administration.”

The RSC letter tied the debt crisis to the border crisis, asserting, "A recent cost estimate of the Secure the Border Act by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) confirmed that federal taxpayers are spending tens of billions of dollars on welfare benefits and refundable tax credits due to Biden’s current border policies."

You can read the full letter here:

https://hern.house.gov/uploadedfiles/final_letter_re_debt_limit_-_border_w_signatures.pdf

The letter has gained support from groups deemed "outside stakeholders," including the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and NumbersUSA.

In comments included with the RSC press release, sent to The City Sentinel - Oklahoma City, FAIR said, “Illegal immigration now costs American taxpayers more than $150 billion every year. Under the Biden Administration, those costs are only increasing. FAIR strongly supports H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, and critical policy changes to address the fiscal burden facing American taxpayers due to the crisis at our southern border. We’re proud to support efforts to protect the safety and security of the country."

James Massa, the chief executive officer of NumbersUSA said, “NumbersUSA applauds the RSC for recognizing that border security solutions should be a part of debt negotiations. This Administration has intentionally created a border crisis, and Americans should not be asked to foot the bill. H.R. 2 contains all of the provisions necessary to stop the border crisis in its tracks."

Signatories of the RSC letter on border security and the debt negotiations include:

RSC leaders Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Ben Cline of Virginia, and U.S. Representatives Tom McClintock of California , Mark Green, M.D., of Tennessee, Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Chip Roy of Texas, August Pfluger of Texas, Brian Babin, D.D.S. of Texas, Byron Donalds of Florida, Ronny Jackson of Texas, Jim Banks of Indiana, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Mark Alford of Missouri, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee, Mary Miller of Illinois, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Russ Fulcher of Idaho, Matt Rosendale of Montana, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin, Keith Self of Texas, Doug Lamborn of Colorado, Monica De La Cruz of Texas, Jefferson Van Drew of New Jersey, and Aaron Bean of Florida.

Also signing the letter were John W. Rose of Tennessee, Debbie Lesko of Arizona, C. Scott Franklin of Florida, Joe Wilson of South Carolina, Nathaniel Moran of Texas, Claudia Tenney of New York, Andrew S. Clyde of Georgia, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Eli Crane of Arizona, Paul Gosar, D.D.S. of Arizona, Eric Burlison of Missouri, Kat Cammack of Florida, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Dan Crenshaw of Texas, Michael Cloud of Texas, Michael Burgess, M.D., of Texas, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Bob Good of Virginia, Beth Van Duyne of Texas, Roger Williams of Texas, Alexander X. Mooney of West Virginia, Scott DesJarlais of Tennessee, Barry Moore of Alabama, Pete Sessions of Texas, French Hill of Arkansas, Ryan Zinke of Montana, and Rick W. Allen of Georgia.

Note: Pat McGuigan of The City Sentinel prepared this story for posting working from a press release, adding information about the signatories and direct quotes from the Republican Study Committee letter. Pat selected the photographs accompanying the story. 

Read the article here.