CONGRESSWOMAN CLARK VOTES TO PASS CRITICAL BORDER BILLS, PROTECTING NATIONAL SECURITY AND DIGNITY OF IMMIGRANTS

Bills will promote oversight and improve the treatment of children and families at the border 

September 27, 2019- Washington, D.C. – This week, Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus Representative Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined the House Democratic Caucus in voting to pass two critical bills to increase transparency and promote accountability within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), as well as to protect immigrant children and families in U.S. custody.

“The passage of these two bills affirms our nation’s commitment to helping the most vulnerable, ensures DHS has the oversight it desperately needs, and provides protections for our agents, officers, and border communities,” said Congresswoman Clark. “Our policies must be guided by our principles, and unfortunately, the Trump administration has abandoned our legacy as a land of opportunity for all. The whole country has witnessed with horror the deaths of children in federal custody and the severe overcrowding at border facilities. With these bills, the House is standing up for American values of security and dignity for all.”

The U.S. Border Patrol Medical Screening Standards Act put forward by Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) requires the Department of Homeland Security to research and make recommendations on innovative approaches to address gaps in medical screenings for children and other vulnerable populations at the border and mandates the implementation of electronic medical records.

The second bill to improve conditions at our border was sponsored by Representative Veronica Escobar (TX-16). The Homeland Security Improvement Act establishes a watchdog position with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure standards of care towards migrants are met and to develop plans for an electronic tracking system to speed up family reunification.