It is Time to Act on Border Security
Washington, D.C. – On Wednesday, June 12th, 2018, I spoke on the Senate floor about the need for additional resources to secure the southern border — following my trip to the El Paso Texas sector last week.
Every day our agents are carrying out their job. I am grateful to them for their service and am so impressed by their resolve to protect this nation.
They go out underfunded, disrespected, not knowing what they are going to encounter.
Without Americans knowing, they are blessing our lives every single day.
They show up and do the job that is in front of them without proper resources because there has not been bipartisan agreement.
These agents go home every day, having encountered people that have measles, mumps, H1N1 flu, TB, scabies and lice. Health care is not their job. Securing the southern border is their job.
Speaking With Acting Secretary of the Homeland Security
At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin McAleenan, we discussed what resources are needed to take care of the humanitarian crisis at our border.
Child-traffickers are taking advantage of loopholes in our system. Many times these adult sponsors are themselves in our country illegally. They are not related to the child and do not have the child’s welfare at heart.
New Legislation Stops Drug Traffickers in their Tracks
Fentanyl is deadly and is killing Americans every single day. It’s time the punishment fit the crime for these drug traffickers. That is why I joined my colleagues in introducing the Ending the Fentanyl Crisis Act of 2019 to ensure that sentencing penalties for trafficking fentanyl reflect the deadliness of the drug. This legislation marks a major step toward addressing the nation’s opioid epidemic.
The bill reduces the amount of fentanyl that drug traffickers and dealers must be caught with in order for mandatory sentencing minimums to apply. Under current sentencing guidelines, a trafficker with two grams of fentanyl is treated the same as a trafficker with five grams of heroin — even though fentanyl is 50 times deadlier than heroin.
Statement on the Memphis Riots
Thank you to the Memphis Police Department, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Marshals for their work to contain the riots and keep the people of Memphis safe. I am closely following the situation and continue to receive updates from the TBI.
My prayers are with the officers who suffered injuries and the people of Memphis.
ICYMI: My Speech at the Turning Point USA Women’s Leadership Summit
Not all women think alike — and that’s a good thing. Conservative women think differently than most people in the media. It’s time for our voices to get louder! Here’s a great read about last week’s Turning Point USA Women’s Leadership summit, where I had the pleasure to join so many other brilliant women.
Marsha’s Recipe Box: The Presidential Meatloaf
#NationalCountryCookingMonth
Happy Birthday President Trump! I know meatloaf is one of his favorites, so here’s the recipe for my “Presidential Meatloaf,” in honor of his special day and in celebration of National Country Cooking Month!
Happy Birthday to the U.S. Army
For the past 244 years, the U.S. Army has defended our great nation with honor. Today, we say Happy Birthday!
Flag Day
Our flag is a symbol of freedom and a reminder of the tireless efforts of our Founding Fathers. Wave our nation’s flag proudly today!
Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day to all the loving and supportive Tennessee fathers — particularly to my husband, Chuck! Thank you for being such a wonderful father and grandfather.
Stay in Touch
As a reminder, you can reach any of my six offices in Tennessee to share a concern or request assistance with a federal agency. The phone number for my Washington D.C. office is 202.224.3344, the same number previously used by Senators Bob Corker and Bill Frist.
Be sure to follow my work on behalf of Tennesseans on social media:
Facebook: facebook.com/marshablackburn
Twitter: @MarshaBlackburn
Instagram: @MarshaBlackburn
My Best,
Marsha
