Coats Says Solution to Border Crisis Is Not Just Throwing Money at Problem

Press Release

Senator Dan Coats (R-Ind.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, today voted against the Senate majority's $3.57 billion supplemental appropriations bill to address the crisis on the southern border of the United States.

"The wrong solution to our border crisis is to throw money at the problem without addressing the policies that created this situation," said Coats. "This proposal will fail to stem the tide of children making the dangerous trek to the United States. The best way to stop this humanitarian crisis is to reunite children who have come to America with their families in their home countries. Taking this action will send a message and deter children from even starting the difficult journey to the United States."

Coats supported the Protecting Children and America's Homeland Act, an alternative proposal introduced by Senators John Cornyn (R-Texas), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), to address the border crisis.

The bill would make several changes to current immigration law to allow quicker repatriation of unaccompanied alien children while ensuring due process for asylum claims. The bill also would prevent the president from any expansion of the deferred action program and provide funding for border security, law enforcement and humanitarian assistance activities. The cost of the legislation would be fully offset.

"I am committed to solving our border crisis because we cannot sit back and let this situation grow worse, as it does day by day," said Coats. "Our proposal is a reasonable approach that will address this problem more effectively than the classic Washington response of spending money in hopes of fixing a problem. I am disappointed that Harry Reid, once again, refused to allow consideration of any Republican ideas."

The Senate majority's spending request failed to survive a budget point of order.

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