Washington, D.C. – Congressman Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (R-TX) joined by House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and House Homeland Security Committee Ranking Member John Katko (R-N.Y.), introduced a Resolution of Inquiry (ROI) on Unaccompanied Children at our southern border.
“We can no longer deny the crisis that we are facing at our southern border. It is a shame that the Democratic Majority Party is looking more for partisan wins rather than addressing the crises this Administration has unleashed since taking office in January. Further, it is unsettling that Speaker Pelosi has ruled with an iron fist, stripping away two critical minority tools: the motion to recommit and the privilege of resolutions of inquiries. Was it not just last week that the Majority praised Texas state legislators, who abandoned their elected duty, and cried out that those same legislators deserved Minority party rights? Instead of focusing on how to win political points in the media, the Majority should restore the rights of the Minority.
“At the very least they should see the importance of having the Department of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services provide information on the care of unaccompanied children in Customs and Border Patrol and Office of Refugee Resettlement custody. The 2014 pictures of children in cages are engraved in our minds. The disgusting reality is that children are being used as pawns to game our immigration system. Smugglers know that an adult arriving with a child will be granted entry. While we cannot control the traffickers or smugglers attempts to enter this country illegally, we can ensure that these children in our custody are properly cared for. There have been too many reports of abuses within CBP and ORR facilities. In addition, the Biden Administration has not thoroughly vetted employees and contractors hired in a rush amid the influx. Even more concerning, the Biden Administration ceased fingerprint background checks on potential sponsors and ended the information sharing agreement between DHS and HHS. Congress must be able to conduct oversight to prevent further abuse of an already vulnerable population,” said Burgess, McMorris Rodgers, and Katko.
Background on Resolutions of Inquiry:
ROIs are privileged and must be marked up by the relevant committees within 14 days of introduction; if they are not, they can immediately be considered in the House.
For over a year now, the Majority has turned off the tolling of days for ROIs, effectively killing their privilege, due to the hybrid/proxy work schedule the House has adopted.
