{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-andy-harris-and-senator-rick-scott-lead-letter-senate-republican", "Congressman Andy Harris and Senator Rick Scott Lead Letter To Senate Republican Leader-Elect Thune and Speaker Johnson On The Need To Prioritize The Prompt Passage Of A Border Security Reconciliation Bill In The 119th Congress", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "House", "MD", "Andy Harris", "H001052", "harris.house.gov", "harris", "https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 Today, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, M.D. (R-MD) and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) sent a letter to Senate Republican Leader-Elect John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson on the need to prioritize the prompt passage of a border security-focused reconciliation bill at the beginning of the 119th Congress.\n\n\u201cFollowing President Trump\u2019s decisive victory,\u201d the lawmakers wrote, \u201cHouse and Senate Republicans now have a responsibility to do everything we can to help the President fulfill the promises he made to the American people. One of those promises was to secure our borders and restore the integrity of our nation\u2019s immigration system after four years of President Biden\u2019s open border policies. That is why we believe it is critical that we prioritize the prompt passage of a border security focused reconciliation bill.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers go on to write that the first reconciliation bill introduced in the 119th session should provide four years of funding to:\n\nComplete and strengthen the border wall started during President Trump\u2019s first term as President.\n\nHire thousands of additional Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in order to effectively secure the border and apprehend and remove migrants who have entered the U.S. illegally.\n\nEnsure a substantial increase in the number of ICE and CBP detention and short-term holding facilities.\n\nEncourage self-deportation by imposing significant financial penalties on aliens illegally in the United States.\n\nLimit, and in most instances eliminate, a non-citizen\u2019s ability to apply for and receive taxpayer-funded welfare benefits.\n\nNot only be fully offset with real mandatory spending cuts \u2013 not relying on spending reductions that President Trump will make through executive action \u2013 but also achieve deficit reduction with additional spending cuts at a level the conferences require and are realistic for passage.\n\nThe first reconciliation bill should also:\n\nThe lawmakers continue, \u201cThe second budget reconciliation should primarily be focused on preventing the massive tax increase that automatically takes effect on January 1, 2026.\u201d While there are many details to be worked out, the lawmakers conclude, \u201cWe are committed to helping both of you gain the support and passage of these budget reconciliation packages in the House and Senate.\u201d\n\nTo read the full letter, please click HERE.\n\nThe letter was signed by Congressman Andy Biggs, Congresswoman Lauren Boebert, Congressman Josh Brecheen, Congressman Eric Burlison, Congressman Michael Cloud, Congressman Andrew Clyde, Congressman Eli Crane, Congressman Byron Donalds, Congressman Russ Fulcher, Congressman Bob Good, Congressman Andy Harris, M.D., Congressman Clay Higgins, Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, Congresswoman Mary Miller, Congressman Barry Moore, Congressman Ralph Norman, Congressman Andy Ogles, Congressman Scott Perry, Congressman Bill Posey, Congressman Chip Roy, Congressman Tom Tiffany, and Congressman Keith Self. In the Senate, the letter was signed by Senator Rick Scott, Senator Mike Lee, Senator Marsha Blackburn, Senator Ron Johnson, Senator Tedd Budd, Senator Lindsey Graham, and Senator Roger Marshall.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://harris.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-andy-harris-and-senator-rick-scott-lead-letter-senate-republican"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8213818073272705, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}