Bilirakis and Republican Colleagues Fight to Prioritize Veterans Over Illegal Migrants
Washington, DC— Representatives Steve Womack, Gus Bilirakis and a group of Republican colleagues have introduced of the Veterans First Act of 2022 to stop the White House from diverting resources for our Veterans to manage its self-inflicted southern border crisis. The legislation specifically prohibits the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from prioritizing the needs of illegal immigrants over our nation's heroes as the Biden Administration expects a surge at the southern border following its efforts to rescind the Trump-era immigration policy Title 42. Just last week, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas confirmed that conversations between agency staff to divert Veterans Affairs (VA) resources, doctors, and nurses to help care for illegal immigrants have taken place. This follows previous reports of the Biden Administration considering what interagency resources could be deployed to deal with surges should Title 42 policies be lifted. The Democrat majority has failed to secure the border, leading to the largest wave of illegal border crossings in our country's history, including over 2.5 million since President Biden took office.
"It is unconscionable that the Biden Administration would even consider diverting resources from our nation's heroes to tend to the needs of those who are illegally entering our country," said Congressman Bilirakis. "This is yet another prime example of how this Administration has its priorities screwed up."
Congressman Womack said, "First, the Biden Administration floated compensating illegal immigrants with hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars. Now, they're considering taking resources from our veterans to deal with a border surge of their own making. It's insanity. Our heroes shouldn't carry the burden of President Biden's failings. We won't stand for having the care of those who have proudly worn America's uniform redirected to deal with the consequences of the White House's disastrous immigration policies."
The Veterans First Act of 2022 is supported 30 original cosponsors, including Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), David McKinley (WV-1), Dan Newhouse (WA-4), Jody Hice (GA-10), John Rutherford (FL-4), Ken Calvert (CA-42), Brian Mast (FL-18), Ashley Hinson (IA-1), Bill Posey (FL-8), Richard Hudson (NC-8), Julia Letlow (LA-5), Hal Rogers (KY-5), Bill Johnson (OH-6), Darrell Issa (CA-50), Clay Higgins (LA-3), Chuck Fleischmann (TN-3), Adrian Smith (NE-3), Ted Budd (NC-13), Austin Scott (GA-8), Daniel Webster (FL-11), Claudia Tenney (NY-22), Mike Johnson (LA-4), French Hill (AR-2), Mary Miller (IL-15), Kat Cammack (FL-3), Dan Meuser (PA-9), Gus Bilirakis (Fl-12), Matthew Rosendale (MT-AL), Greg Murphy (NC-3), and Ralph Norman (SC-5).