WASHINGTON — Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), along with Ranking Member Tom Carper (D-Del.) and Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) will travel to Corpus Christi, Hidalgo and McAllen, Texas this weekend to meet with ranchers, sheriffs and Border Patrol agents as a way of examining the challenges associated with securing our southern border.  The senators will observe an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operation and view aerostats, visit a port of entry, tour a Border Patrol station and a centralized processing center that handled a large part of the surge in unaccompanied children crossing the border last summer, and get a feel for the terrain with a riverine and border line tour. 

Sen. Ron Johnson said, "One of my top priorities as chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) is to work to secure our border.  During my 31 years of problem-solving in a manufacturing setting, I learned you have to go to where the problem is in order to find effective solutions.  I look forward to this fact-finding trip where members of my committee and I can gain a greater understanding of the terrain, manpower, infrastructure, technology and challenges that we must address as we begin crafting legislation that will actually work."

Sen. Tom Carper said, “This trip to the southern border is an important opportunity to hear from the men and women who live and work along this stretch of land, and will help us gather insight and information to improve our approach to border security and work toward fixing our broken immigration system. Over the years, I’ve learned that we must make strategic and cost-effective border security investments while also addressing the underlying causes – the lack of hope, economic opportunity, and security -- in Central America that lead so many undocumented migrants to make the dangerous journey to the United States. In the coming months, our Committee will have additional opportunities to take a hard look at these root causes and other critical issues affecting our borders and ports of entry. I look forward to working with Chairman Johnson, Senator Sasse, and the rest of my Congressional colleagues as this important process moves forward.”

“I am eager to see firsthand the challenges our Border Patrol agents face on our southern border. I am optimistic that the information we receive will help us pursue fact-driven, constructive solutions on securing our borders.” said Sen. Ben Sasse.

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