Following the Fourth of July break, Congress will reconvene this week with a limited timeframe of three weeks before the monthlong August recess. During this period, Republicans will prioritize addressing the border crisis alongside their responsibilities of handling appropriations bills.
The House is scheduled to resume its sessions on Tuesday, a day after the Senate.
The House Homeland Security Committee will promptly engage in legislative activities by considering the Department of Homeland Security Border Support Services Contracts Review Act. This proposed bill mandates the DHS undersecretary of management to generate a comprehensive report scrutinizing the involvement of contractors operating along the southern border.
Introduced by Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) just a few days ago, this legislation emerges two years subsequent to the Biden administration granting two exclusive contracts for immigrant housing to Endeavors, totaling over $617 million. Republicans have raised ethical concerns regarding the circumstances surrounding these deals.
The Department of Health and Human Services has entered into another agreement with Endeavors, potentially worth $2.1 billion, to provide housing for migrant children, despite a decrease in the number of children arriving at the border. Notably, the contract for unaccompanied minors with Endeavors was not subjected to competitive bidding.
Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) of the House Homeland Security Committee has been advocating for an investigation into the actions of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
In an afternoon hearing on Wednesday, the committee’s Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement will examine the involvement of Mexican drug cartels in fentanyl manufacturing and smuggling operations.
Highlighting the collaboration between Chinese Community Party and drug cartels, Subcommittee Chairman Clay Higgins (R-LA) emphasized their smuggling of a significant amount of fentanyl, resulting in numerous American fatalities, massive profits, and the disruption of families. The subcommittee aims to hold Secretary Mayorkas accountable for his failure to prioritize the security and well-being of the American people.
According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), approximately 90% of the fentanyl seized during fiscal years 2021 and 2022 was discovered in vehicles or on individuals attempting to cross land, air, and sea ports of entry. The remaining 10% was found at Border Patrol’s highway checkpoints within the United States.
Chairman Green is scheduled to discuss border security legislation and the House-passed Secure the Border Act at a conservative think tank event near the Capitol on Wednesday afternoon. Hosted by Derrick Morgan, Executive Vice President of the Heritage Foundation, the discussion will focus on advancing the legislation in the Senate and the ongoing investigation into Mayorkas for neglecting his duties.
On Thursday morning, Secretary Mayorkas will deliver a speech at the annual summit of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in New York.
Additionally, on Thursday morning, the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology will convene to hear testimony from Deanne Criswell, Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, regarding the agency’s future.
Recently, FEMA has faced scrutiny from the Republican Party due to its allocation of hundreds of millions of dollars in government funds to nonprofit organizations and sanctuary cities that provide support to undocumented immigrants after their apprehension at the border and subsequent release into the United States.
The House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement has scheduled an afternoon hearing to discuss the “impact of criminal aliens on American communities.” Witnesses at the hearing will include a high-ranking official from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a representative from the Orange County, California, District Attorney’s Office, and Donald Rosenberg, the founder of Advocates for Victims of Illegal Alien Crime.
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