Public Health Officials from the centers for Disease Control and prevention, the National Institutes of health and the food and Drug Administration testify on capitol hill about the coronavirus outbreak and the federal response. The acting commissioner for customs and Border Protection mark morgan subcommittee. Questions commissioner morgan on building the wall on the southern border carrying from migrants in cbp custody and stopping Illegal Drugs coming over the border. We will come order. Today we welcome the acting commissioner of u. S. Cuss thomastom customs and Border Protection mark morgan. Thank you for being here today. We look forward to go etting your perspective on cbp priorities and requirements for fiscal year 2021. The fiscal year 2021 in discretionary funding for cbp. Above the current year level. Border barriers and an increase of 625 million, over the current year appropriation for nearly 88 of the total fy 2021 increase for cbp overall. I have obvious concerns about spending another 2 billion on Additional Border barriers. But aside from any debate we might have about them, this administration continues to circumvent the will of congress, by diverting billions of dollars above what congress specifically appropriates for this activity. The house bill was simply not, does simply not include this funding. Even more to the point however is that the funding cbp proposes for border barriers would crowd out other investments that we all agree are high priority. For instance, it is unclear how many cbp officers are funded or even sustained in the proposed budget. Congress has funded over 2,000 additional officers over the last two years, but your budget does not analyze any of the positions. At the same time, you propose funding to annualize support for Border Patrol agent, positions that were specifically not funded by congress. What explains this mismatch in budgeting . You and i have spoken about the specific challenges you and cbp face. I am committed to improving our security, at and between the ports of entry, at facilitating trade and travel. But we must do it in a way that is consistent with our national values, and commitment to those in need. We must get the balance right. And so far, that is not happening the way it should. Specifically, i remain concerned about the treatment of single adults, family, and unaccompanied children, who are apprehended at the border, by the Border Patrol. We must take every effort to ensure that all immigrants are treated with respect and processed in a timely and safe manner. And cbp must work more closely with nonprofit groups who are available to help immigrants both during and after their time in cbp custody. Failure to do so is not only a lost opportunity for migrants in desperate circumstances, it is also a lost opportunity for cbp. For migrants in the mirgs protection Protocol Program or mpp, and those in expedited removal programs who express a fear of return, cbp must ensure meaningful access to counsel. Something that is not happening today. Even though we have repeatedly tried to work with you, to address this issue. For programs that remove or return migrants to countries other than their own, such as mpp and the asylum cooperative agreements, how does dhs ensure they will be protected in the destination country . Cbp cannot simply wash its hands of responsibility for their safety. The u. S. Department has issued, or the u. S. State department has issued advisories, warning against travel to some of these countries. Cbps mission is not limited to detaining and removing migrants from the United States. It also includes ensuring due process for migrants, including the opportunity to seek asylum or other forms of relief. Cbp should be working harder to balance those priorities. So far, cbp and the department have repeatedly erred heavily on the side of expedited removal, making it harder for migrants to seek asylum and gain access to Legal Counsel in the United States. So far, efforts to address concerns about the safety and civil rights of migrants appear to be more of an afterthought, if even acknowledged and addressed at all, by dhs. Additionally, while the department has provided some information to us, on the mpp program, it has provided very little on the new expedited removal programs. We dont even have complete descriptions of how these programs work. Mr. Morgan, responses to our requests for information are not optional. The information we seek is necessary to carry out our constitutional responsibilities. If cbp continues to deny access to information, the committee will have no option but to legally compel compliance through the fiscal year 2021 funding bill. I hope it will not come to that. Before i turn to mr. Morgan for a summary of his written statement, the text of which will be included in the hearing record, let me first recognize our distinguished Ranking Member mr. Fleischmann, for any remarks he wishes to make. Thank you, madam chair woman. Good morning, commissioner morgan. We welcome you to the Sub Committee today sir to discuss the fiscal year 2021 budget request, for customs and Border Protection. Yesterday, sir, we had a productive hearing, with acting secretary wolf. You wont be surprised to hear that a lot of the hearing focused on many of your areas of responsibility and expertise, sir. And everyone was respectful, and i think we had some very productive conversations. We arent going to agree on everything but our nations security comes first, and we should all be very mindful of that mission. Commissioner, your people are literally on the front lines of protecting our borders. And it seems as if every year, it gets harder. I want to thank you, and the men and women who serve with you, for your dedication to this mission. Last year, nearly 900,000 people were apprehended at the southwest border for attempting to enter the country illegally. You had a Record Number of groups comprised of single adults, families, families that didnt fit the Legal Immigration definition of a family, and unaccompanied children. And to be candid, we werent prepared. There was nothing we had ever seen before. The facilities, staffing, and processes, in cbp, and really across the department, were not set up to operate at this capacity. And im sure you saw the ripple effects across your offices in trying to deal with this crisis. So as we embark on another spring season, the budget before us, in my view, includes a very reasonable 2 billion request for continued border wall system construction, significant funding for Technology Procurement and deployment, and ambitious plans for hiring. I am hopeful that we can come together and deliver the resources you have requested and need in order to continue to protect our nation. I know it is possible. Because we were able to come together, and provide 1. 1 billion to the 2019 summer supplemental to provide humanitarian aid, medical care, and relief at the southwest border operations. Further, we were able to come together on agreements on a fiscal year 2020 bill, to provide another 1. 375 billion for the border wall system, as well as funding for technology, processing coordinators, inspectors, trade and travel programs, and all personnel costs. Working together, sir, with my colleagues, i believe we can do it again with this 2021 budget. I look forward to your testimony today. I thank you again for your service. Madam chairman, i yield back. Ms. Granger. Thank you, madam chairwoman, acting commissioner marvin, thank you for coming for the subcommittee today to present the fiscal year 2021 budget. Earlier this week i traveled with deputy secretary of defense david narquist to see firsthand whether the dpigss Border Security has results. And the fourth trip since the crisis and the fourth trip since last year. And during the most recent travels, ive seen three of the four texas sectors, and i also want the president to see the first sections of the new fencing last spring. But no matter what sector station or port of entry visit, im always amazed by the dedication of the people working there, and the Cooperation Among, across duties and assignments. I want to thank you and the men and women of your agencies, who are working tirelessly around the clock every single day to keep our country safe under sometimes almost impossible circumstances. Their commitment is a testimony to how important this mission is. And the Cooperation Among agencies is the best i have ever seen. I would encourage all Committee Members to travel to the borders to see for themselves as i have, to see the great progress the administration has made, hundreds of miles of improved border fencing has been built or under construction, new are under construction, new technologies are being deployed to spot persons coming across our border in time to apprehend them. That was very impressive. And programs asylum claims quickly right at the border. Things that we said from the very beginning that is something that we should work for. Unfortunately, even with these improvements we continue to have a crisis, and youve heard, of course you know the stats, 400,000 people, apprehended at the border in 2018, last year still very high, the most important issue we have is the huge amount, this is in my opinion, the huge amount of Illegal Drugs being carried across our border, and the criminals who are bringing the drugs, and people as well as children across our border. And while the number of illegal crossings are down, were nowhere near the state of number and the monthly numbers are on the rise as we move into spring in good weather. As i was touring the processing facility earlier this year, i saw, this week, i saw for myself how important it is to have the infrastructure in place safely and effectively manage what the next year will bring. You know, my home state of texas has the largest stretch of border. Its always been my priority to make sure the department of Homeland Security has the resources it needs to secure our border, keep our community safe, and ensure the legal trade and travel, this is vital well continue fighting for those resources, we look to you to tell us what you need, and not just assume it is what you need last year or what were doing today. Thank you for your work. Please pass it on. Our good messages to those who work with you. I yield back. I do want to let members know that the orders in which members will be called for questioning will be based on seniority of those present, when the hearing was called to order, alternating between majority and minority members. Also to ensure that everyone has ample opportunity to ask questions. I would ask that each member, to try and stay within the allotted five minutes. Mr. Morgan please begin. Thank you for the opportunity im proud to be here. We work to protect American People to safeguard our borders and enhance the nations economic by facilitating awful trading and travel at and in between the ports of entry on land, the air and water. We will accomplish this through continued innovation enhanced intelligence collection and both in private and public realm. Fy 21 budget includes 15. 6 billion a knit discretionary with our parties focused on enhanced acknowledging infrastructure, both physical and i. T. , as well as personal. As our nation has witnessed, and the human humanitarian crisis the influx of migrant overwhelmed cbp and other Government Agencies and trained our resources. To put this in perspective fiscal year 2019 Enforcement Actions was mention almost 1 million, that is 88 higher than the Previous Fiscal Year. To make matters worse arrivals of families to the borders more than tripled any Previous Fiscal Year on record. This was an unprecedented shift in the democratics we are counting. Cbp facilities were not intended nor design for Holding Families and children in the face of these crisis this administration have made tremendous strides in reversing catch and release, which is a primary perfect enter for families and children who put their lives in the hands of smuggling organizations, who have shown a complete disregard for their safety. The loopholes which allow individuals to use a child as a means to be allowed into the United States has been closed. This administration that policies and International Agreements have enabled cbp to apply consequence or alternative pathway to almost 95 of those who we apprehend, rather than reducing them into the interior of the United States and it is working. In eight months we have seen more than us along the southwest border. Reductions of apprehensions as a welcome progress but the crisis has been noted earlier, is far from over. With the peak migration season upon us, the human smuggle organizations are continually changing their tactics. We must maintain this momentum. This includes continuing to build additional wall systems in strategical qishan. But cbp Border Security efforts extend well beyond ilLegal Immigration and well beyond just the southwest border. Fiscal year 2019 we apprehended almost 1000 gang members. Thousands of criminal aliens, weapons currency and seized more than 800,000 pounds of drugs. Our air and Marine Operations contributed to another 300,000 bounced pounds of trucks users would seizures with their partners. Cbp plays a Critical Role in ensuring the nations economic prosperity. All cargo legitimately passes through cbp ports of entry. Fiscal year 2019, cbp processed almost 29 million Cargo Containers. And an additional 600 million small packages mile and express consignment and that same collected 84 billion in duties taxes and fees from the previous year. Particularly in cbp is the trade and enforcement role. We continue to see significant levels of counterfeit merchandise at airports adventurous as were seeing the explosion in ecommerce. In fy 2018 ccpcs almost 28,000 shipments which would have a retail value of over 1. 5 billion. These products harm american consumers, threaten our Economic Security and damage the brand integrity of United States companies. The facilities budget contains funding for the design and construction to replace old and the law potato Border Patrol stations as well as the construction of humanitarian care center in the grand valley. The budget, also im very proud of this, a memo fair facility and texas. This is going to be an incredible milestone. Lastly tc owes, have not and will not stop looking for the next method or technique that will give them a strategic advantage for struggling illegal contraband and people. Narcotics, counterfeit goods, gang members, the list goes on what they smuggle in this country it has permeated into every town city and state in our nation. We must continue to be vigilant stay ahead of the threat and comprehensively, address these threats to our nation. Affect the members of the community or this opportunity for you today thank you for this opportunity today. Commissioner, last year dhs announced a pilot to use Border Patrol agents to conduct credible interviews. Something that bylaw has been the responsibility of uscis. After going down to the border last week, my staff were told that cbp officers are now a part of this effort we heard. That the pilot was intended to medicaid a shortage of uscis asylum officers. Is this accurate, and if so, is there an and point where cbp will no provide no longer provide agents for the set to be. Before you answer i just want to make a point that, we have repeatedly asked for this information, but nobody has responded to us. First of all on the issue of being responsive, we need to get better at that. If theres any information, specifically about this issue that has not been received by you, your staff or anybody in the committee, i will take that, you have my commitment that we will get you the information that you need to fulfill your congressional oversight responsibilities. I fully support, that recognize that in agree with that and we will try to get better at that. We will get better at that. To address the actual question of agents and officers. Yes we have about 75 Border Patrol agents that are part of that program, and 16 cbp owes right now in that program. It is designed specifically as you addressed. The challenge is, is that, we call it the front and back and, and stuff that happens on the back and a fix the front end. So, with the lack of asylum officers, it creates a backlog in the front for us for us. The more that we can rapidly apply the due process and the asylum process, the more it alleviates overcrowding and other issues for us on the front and. We do see this as a immigration continuum issue and we do see this is a dhs effort, and it has absolutely made a positive impact given and you see ices additional resources. Given cbps assertion that it has a significant shortage of Border Patrol agents and custom officers, how do you justify pulling cbp personnel off the line to conduct this final interviews . Why not get more asylum officers instead . I think that is absolutely correct. I absolutely support uscis getting more asylum officers. It is a must and it is needed. But as they are going through that process, again, it is a balancing act, because your are right. I am pulling