Washington, D.C. — Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX), Republican Leader of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health, released the following statement after visiting two Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) shelters for unaccompanied minors in Florida.

“During my visit to both the Homestead and Boystown ORR shelters today, I was pleased to see children receiving excellent care from dedicated HHS staff. The high quality of medical and mental health care available in these shelters today is a substantial improvement from the conditions I found in ORR shelters during the Obama Administration. When I began visiting ORR facilities in 2014 at the height of the UAC crisis, I was shocked by the conditions I found – particularly the lack of medical care. Thanks to the oversight of the House Energy and Commerce Committee over the last five years, today children in ORR custody receive medical and mental health care, vaccinations, education, and other critical services, including screening for vulnerability to trafficking.

“Though other Members of Congress regard these shelters as nothing more than a political prop, I remain committed to providing intentional oversight. This wasn’t my first trip to an ORR shelter, and it certainly won’t be my last. Moving forward, I will continue to work alongside Secretary Azar, the Department of Health and Human Services, and fellow Members of Congress to ensure that all children entrusted to federal custody receive excellent care.”