Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, confronted Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin over the migrant crisis at the southern border during a fierce exchange on Capitol Hill.
Tester, who is one of the Senate’s most vulnerable incumbents, let Austin know in blunt terms that he is fed up with the Biden administration’s failure to secure the border, although he also acknowledged that Congress’s failure to pass border security reforms is also a problem. a problem.
“Look, I have repeatedly invoked [Homeland Security] secretary [Alejandro] Mayorkas, President Biden and Congress must step up and fix what is happening at the southern border. It’s not sustainable at all and it’s unacceptable,” he sternly told Austin during a hearing on Wednesday.
Tester noted that the Biden administration has had to rely on the Defense Department to keep the border secure, diverting billions of dollars a year from regular military priorities.
“I don’t see any funding for [Department of Defense] personnel for these operations. So, Mr. Secretary, a few things. Number one, how many troops are currently serving on the southern border?” The tester demanded.
Austin responded that the Pentagon has had to help bolster border security agents for 19 of the last 23 years, at a cost of $4 billion, but did not provide a precise timeframe for the cost.
Tester then pressed Austin on whether this was a good use of military resources.
“Mr. Secretary, do you agree with my perspective that the Administration needs to make the border more secure, and we shouldn’t have to rely on the military to do that?” he asked.
Austin admitted he agreed, but quickly added, “but if we are forced to help, we will continue to do so.”
He added that “the president agrees that more should be done” and noted that Biden supported the Senate’s bipartisan border security agreement, which would have allocated $20 billion for border security.
Tester acknowledged, “Congress dropped the ball because that would have changed things dramatically.”
Tester’s tough exchange with Austin follows a confrontation he had with Mayorkas last month over the administration’s failure to better control the border.
“All you need to see is what’s happening at the southern border, and you know we’re in a situation that needs immediate repair, immediate correction, immediate review,” Tester said during a tense moment in a hearing with Mayorkas.
“The fact is the border needs to be fixed and we need to step up as Congress, the administration needs to step up, you need to step up,” Tester said, his voice rising in volume.
Tester announced Thursday that he officially co-sponsored the Laken Riley Act, which would require federal authorities to arrest and detain illegal immigrants who commit certain crimes until they can be removed from the United States.
“After listening to Montana law enforcement officials, I am supporting the Laken Riley Act to ensure that individuals who enter our country and commit a crime are held accountable, so that no Montana family has to worry about the safety of their loved ones, ”Tester said in a statement.
Tester became the first Democrat to co-sponsor the bill, which has strong Republican support and which the House passed with 251 votes in March.
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
