Sixth District Perspectives with Congressman Ben Cline: May 21, 2019

This past week I joined several of my colleagues in the Rose Garden at the White House to listen as the President unveiled his proposal to reform our immigration system. This important measure focuses on areas of bipartisan agreement on the critical issue of immigration, including changes to our asylum laws and visa allocation process.

As anyone following the news is aware, the flow of illegal immigrants across our southern border is at historically high levels. Just last month, nearly 100,000 individuals crossed the border illegally. While these individuals have broken the law, often our immigration courts are so overwhelmed that many claiming asylum are released into the United States to await their hearings, for which more than half of these illegal immigrants will never appear. President Trump’s proposal would focus on securing our border, modernizing security along the southern and northern borders through sustainable funding. It would also focus on streamlined hearings, so our courts are no longer backlogged with an ever-growing immigration caseload.

The proposal set forth by President Trump would also put the United States in line with countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan by shifting our immigration policy to a merit-based visa system. By shifting to a merit-based system, the Trump Administration believes more immigrants will be able to find employment with higher wages. Currently, the average immigrant earns approximately $43,000 per year, and only 55% of immigrants secure employment. Under the President’s proposal, the employment rate would rise to an estimated 69% for all immigrants, and wages would be about $93,000 per year.

The President’s proposal is a good starting point as we begin the discussion on immigration. There is a lot of work ahead of us as we seek to reform a broken system, and I am proud to be a part of that conversation as the President and Congress work toward a long-term solution. It is an issue the American people want addressed instead of continuing to kick the can down the road.
Another bright spot this week included the House passage of the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, a bill which extends disability benefits for veterans who served during Vietnam and had potential exposure to Agent Orange along the country’s territorial waters. Currently, only Vietnam veterans who served inland are eligible to receive benefits for Agent Orange exposure. I was proud to join my colleagues in voting for this bill, which passed the House with unanimous support.

One bill that I stood up against this week was H.R. 987. As I said during the floor debate, this bill is another bait and switch maneuver by the House majority. The original bill was a bipartisan consensus that allows consumers to access cheaper generic drugs. It would have driven down costs and saved Americans $3.9 billion over 10 years. Unfortunately, the majority took a bipartisan bill and loaded it down with unrelated language that banned the sale of certain types of short-term health insurance plans. Over the past decade, Obamacare has destroyed our health insurance industry, taken decisions away from individuals, and given that authority to the federal government. As a result, premiums are skyrocketing, with the highest in the country being right here in the Commonwealth of Virginia. To double down on the mistakes of Obamacare is harmful to Americans, which is why I voted against this bill. While the bill passed the House by a mostly party-line vote, the Senate is unlikely to pass it and the President is unlikely to sign it in its current form, making the entire effort a giant missed opportunity to pass what was originally a bipartisan bill.
I also visited with representatives of the Staunton Talking Book Center, who were recognized this week by the Library of Congress as the Sub-Regional Library and Outreach Center of the Year by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The Center is located at the Staunton Public Library and serves individuals unable to read standard print materials. I was proud to attend the awards ceremony at the Library of Congress and congratulate them on their prestigious honor.

Finally, during National Police Week, I took time to thank the men and women in blue who risk so much to protect our communities. On Tuesday, I attended the Lynchburg Police Department’s Memorial Service. This service has taken place for over 24 years to acknowledge the law enforcement officers who have died in the line of duty. This year, we remembered Virginia State Trooper Lucas Dowell and Winchester Police Officer Hunter Edwards. While these men died as heroes, they will also be remembered for their everyday acts of kindness by those whom the officers helped in their communities. Even though the week honoring police has ended, I hope you will join me in thanking our men and women in blue each day.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your congressman. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.