Rep. Chip Roy On COR Hearing On Trump Administration's Response to the Drug Crisis

March 8, 2019

WASHINGTON—Rep. Chip Roy released the following statement Friday regarding the House Committee on Oversight and Reform hearing on the Trump Administration's Response to the Drug Crisis:

"Yesterday, I discussed how human beings and drugs are flowing across our border between ports of entry with the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy James W. Carroll Jr. and the Director of the Houston High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Mike McDaniel. These men are on the front lines fighting to keep dangerous drugs out of our communities. It was an honor to have them testify before the committee.

I'd like to thank both witnesses for completely dismantling the myth stated by my colleagues across the aisle that human beings and drugs are not pouring across our border. Furthermore, I'd like to thank these men for agreeing that we should call some of these cartels just what they are—Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

Brief transcript:

Congressman Roy: Mr. Carroll, if somebody comes through that door right now, does that mean that nobody is going to come through that door?

Mr. Carroll: Sir, that is the perfect example of the problem we face. If all we do is block that door, they'll come through the next most vulnerable place.

Congressman Roy: The Coast Guard is doing its job and stopping things from coming across the water. That doesn't have a thing to do with people coming across the border or the Rio Grande river. Does it?

Mr. Carroll: No, sir. Not one bit.

…

Congressman Roy: My experience in talking with Border Patrol and people who actually know what is going on because they spend time and live on the border instead of preening in front of cameras in Washington. … Those people tell me that cartels are driving the human trafficking crisis. Do you agree with that?

Mr. McDaniel: Absolutely.

Congressman Roy: Is the Reynosa faction of the Gulf cartel profiting by moving hundreds of thousands of people through the Rio Grande Valley sector?

Mr. McDaniel: Yes, sir. That is my experience.

Congressman Roy: And making a $100-130 million dollars?

Mr. McDaniel: Yes, sir.

…

Congressman Roy:: Is moving people across the border distracting from moving narcotics at the same time?

Mr. McDaniel: No, sir. It is all about money to the cartels.

Congressman Roy: My final question: Do you believe these are terrorist organizations and do you believe that my colleague Dr. Mark Green and I are correct to call on the Secretary of State to define them as Foreign Terrorist Organizations?

Mr. McDaniel: Yes, sir. I would support that.

Robert Donachie | Communications Director for Congressman Chip Roy (R-TX)
1319 Longworth House Office Building | Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4236 | (202) 870-6303 (c)