WASHINGTON - Today, the House Committee on Oversight and Reform held a full Committee hearing titled, “Hurricane Ida and Beyond: Readiness, Recovery and Resilience." In his opening statement, Ranking Member James Comer (R-Ky.) thanked Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell for appearing and expressed his pleasant surprise that Committee Democrats had finally called a Biden Administration witness to testify. Ranking Member Comer noted there has been no desire by Committee Democrats to hold Biden Administration officials accountable, especially when it comes to the ongoing crises along the southern border and in Afghanistan. Ranking Member Comer emphasized three Republican led letters urging Committee Democrats to convene a hearing on the Biden Border Crisis. Each letter has been ignored. In conclusion, Ranking Member Comer expressed his hope that FEMA Administrator Criswell would ultimately address concerns related to the Agency’s use of critical resources reserved for Americans and how they have responded specifically to the Border Crisis created by this Administration.
The remarks as prepared for delivery are below:
“Thank you, Chairwoman Maloney. I thank the witness, FEMA Administrator Criswell, for her willingness to appear before the Committee.
I am pleasantly surprised that the Democrats have finally called a witness from the Biden Administration to testify before this Committee. Maybe the Lugar Center will upgrade the “F" they were given to a “D-."
While I appreciate FEMA Administrator Criswell’s testimony and look forward to hearing more about the Agency’s efforts to assist American’s impacted by hurricanes and other natural disasters - it is critical to mention who from the Biden Administration that the Democrats have refused to call to testify.
Chairwoman Maloney, when will Democrats call Department of Homeland Secretary Mayorkas to discuss the crisis along our southern border or Secretary of Defense Austin to explain the debacle that has been the Afghanistan withdrawal, or someone to address the growing inflation created by the Biden Administration that has gotten so bad that even stores like the Dollar Tree are raising prices on American consumers?
In fact, Chairwoman Maloney, I have sent three letters this year urging Committee Democrats to call a hearing to examine the Biden Border Crisis. Since January 2021, thousands of illegal immigrants, including unaccompanied minors have crossed the southern border. There is an ongoing security, humanitarian, and public health crisis with no end in sight and no clear policy to address this issue from the Biden Administration.
As I’ve outlined in my letters to Chairwoman Maloney, one of the most troubling issues at the border is the number of unaccompanied children entering the border and in U.S. custody.
To date, thousands of unaccompanied children are in U.S. custody. The Biden Border Crisis became so dire in March of this year that the Administration was forced to activate FEMA to support the response for unaccompanied children.
Over a period of 90 days, FEMA supported DHS and HHS to get unaccompanied children out of DHS custody and into HHS placements. That FEMA, the Agency charged with the mission of assisting American citizens in recovery from disasters, had to be activated further illustrates the extent of the crisis created by the Biden Administration’s disastrous policies.
Administrator Criswell, I hope that you can address my concerns today with regard to the activation of FEMA to use critical resources reserved for American citizens faced with natural disasters to respond to crisis created by this Administration at the border with regard to unaccompanied children.
Chairwoman Maloney, I’d like for the FEMA Administrator and Members of this Committee to hear directly from Mr. Higgins with regard to issues he and his constituents have faced with FEMA’s response to natural disaster recovery in Louisiana. I understand there are still people waiting on critical assistance from FEMA and we look forward to getting answers about that. I will now yield the balance of my time to the gentleman from Louisiana, Mr. Higgins, to give an opening statement."
