Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline

Protecting the Border

The twin topics of illegal immigration and gun control were at the top of Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s agenda in Congress this week. On the House floor, we considered border security legislation that did little to actually secure our southern border. While the bill did appropriate funds for several federal government agencies and kept the government from shutting down, the bill failed to fund President Trump’s wall and only included $1.3 billion for the replacement of existing border fencing in one part of Texas. The President has made clear that $5.7 billion is needed for the construction of new border barriers in several states, a request that I support and urged the budget negotiators to accept. While I had hoped that a fair compromise could be achieved, this bill amounted to a victory for Speaker Pelosi and her “open-border” supporters.

The lack of enforcement on our borders has resulted in a flood of illegal drugs, human trafficking, and criminal activity that has reached every corner of America, including right here in the Shenandoah Valley. There is no doubt that we must act to solve the crisis on our southern border, and I am disappointed that the Congress could not give the President the resources he needs to address it.

Protecting the 2nd Amendment

Also in Congress, a fight to protect your right to keep and bear arms came to the House Judiciary Committee this week. The Committee debated H.R. 8, a bill that would extend federal background checks to transfers of firearms between law-abiding private citizens. This bill would place an unnecessary burden on our second amendment right to protect ourselves and our families, but it would do nothing to stop the tragedy of gun violence in our communities.

During this week’s mark up hearing on the bill, Republicans offered a variety of amendments to improve the bill which Democrats rejected out of hand. I offered an amendment that would have required Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) be notified when an illegal immigrant tries to purchase a firearm. Unfortunately, Democrats voted to kill it, demonstrating that the bill was never about public safety. Instead, it is about taking away the rights of law-abiding citizens.

Another amendment rejected by Democrats would have established an FBI center to collect and process intelligence related to violent acts, which would allow police agencies at all levels to address threats before they turn into actual violence. When this bill comes to the floor of the House next month, I will continue to fight to defend your constitutional rights and work to find bipartisan solutions that support law enforcement, improve mental health services, and reduce gun violence in our communities.

Casework Staff Mobile Office Hours

My office will host Casework Staff Mobile Offices across the Sixth Congressional District during the month of February. A staff member will be available to meet with citizens to assist with problems they might have with a federal agency and hear their views on current issues before Congress. Visit cline.house.gov/about/events for a complete list of locations. Next week in Front Royal: