Senator Bob Corker, (R-Tn.), said the report released Monday by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) underscores the need for the Senate to pass the Hoeven-Corker border security amendment.
“After seeing today’s CBO report I don’t know why anyone who cares about securing the border and interior enforcement wouldn’t support the border security amendment that Senator Hoeven and I offered on Friday,” said Senator Corker. “I understand that some of my colleagues may have concerns about the underlying bill, but that’s not what tonight’s vote was on. Tonight’s vote on the Hoeven-Corker amendment offered a simple choice: either you support increased security on our nation’s southern border, or you support abdicating Congress’ responsibility to Janet Napolitano. I encourage my colleagues to support improving the underlying bill by passing the Hoeven-Corker amendment when we have the final vote later this week.”
The CBO report highlights that the Hoeven-Corker amendment “would significantly increase border security relative to the committee-approved version of the bill, and it would strengthen enforcement action against those who stay in the country after their authorization has expired. Therefore, CBO expects that, relative to the committee-approved version of S. 744, the amendment would reduce both illegal entry into the country and the number of people who stay in the country beyond the end of their authorized period [visa overstays].”
The report also reiterates that the amended bill would achieve substantial deficit reduction.
The full report is available here.