Rep. Martha McSally, R-Tucson, and members of the House Homeland Security Committee meet with members of the media on the Ladd Ranch in Sierra Vista following a border tour. January 24, 2015
Republicans pushing to move border security legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives took their argument to the House floor Wednesday, led by Rep. Martha McSally.
The bill that McSally, from Tucson's 2nd Congressional District, and others are sponsoring has stalled because off opposition within the party.
She said it is time to help agents at the border.
“Border Patrol is doing the best they can. We've got to change the strategy,” McSally said in a floor speech. “We've got to address this issue. It has got to be bipartisan and something that unites us.”
Rep. Mike McCaul, R-Texas, chief sponsor of the bill, chastised those blocking it.
“The American people know this is an important issue. The problem is the members of Congress have been tone deaf on this,” McCaul said.
House members who have slowed the bill say it focuses too much on the border and not enough on interior enforcement. The House Judiciary Committee is working a bill dealing with that issue.
House leadership has not set a timetable for when the legislation will come up for a vote.
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