Governor Greg Abbott held a press conference to sign HB 9 (Bonnen) relating to border security funding on September 17th with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Sen. Jane Nelson, Rep. Greg Bonnen, and Manny Ramirez of the Fort Wroth Police Officers Association.
This report is intended to give you an overview and highlight of the discussions on the various topics taken up. It is not a verbatim transcript of the discussions but is based upon what was audible or understandable to the observer and the desire to get details out as quickly as possible with few errors or omissions.
Governor Greg Abbott
- Thanks Fort Worth Police Officer’s Association for hosting
- Federal government’s job to secure border, but current administration not doing so; Texas stepping up
- Law will add nearly $2 billion to border security; TX now devoting $3 billion to secure border
- State signed contract yesterday to oversee construction of border wall
- Current administration’s open border policy has opened up crime & drug smuggling; need more border security to arrest more people, help national guard secure border, and build border wall
- Need to make clear that challenges on border do not stay at border; crime goes to communities across TX and U.S.; distribution of drugs like fentanyl
- Border policy builds upon progress taken to secure border, arrests have increased
- Border funding was a collective effort of House & Senate members, thanks Lt. Gov. Patrick and Sen. Nelson, Rep. Bonnen as chair of the Appropriations Committee
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
- In 2015, state spent zero dollars on border security, legislature hadn’t focused on it; put $800 million in the budget in 2015 and have continued to do this, ramped it up to over $1 billion this year & added another $2 billion
- Had bipartisan support
- Highlights similarities between immigration issues and Afghanistan withdrawal, failed policies
- Job of the federal government to protect states from domestic violence and incursions onto property
- Governor & legislature stepped up, must not be allowed to continue
Senator Jane Nelson
- In March, six female Senators went to the border to observe issues, saw consequences firsthand
- Went to Del Rio sector & 3 counties along the border, asked Sheriffs to testify before Senate Finance; every Senator on Finance, bipartisan, voted this bill out
- Have seen over 1 million immigrants this year, fentanyl impact is widespread
- Protecting our border is the most important thing we can do right now
Representative Greg Bonnen
- Thanks Governor, Lt. Governor, and legislators for action on border security
Manny Ramirez, Fort Worth Police Officers Association
- Proud that Texas is doubling down on commitment to rule of law and proving state believes in law and order
- Legislature is stepping up to help secure border
- Medical personnel are reporting large increases in overdose deaths, fentanyl cases
- Failed national security policies have opened borders and left communities vulnerable, highlights legislature signing bills to stop defunding, reform bail, and protect borders
Governor Greg Abbott
- Thanks DPS Director Steve McCraw and TMD Adjutant General Norris
- Governor Abbott signs HB 9
Questions
- What would you say to Texan’s who believe this money would be better spent elsewhere, e.g. education, electric reliability
- Abbott – Continued high funding for education this session
- Legislation winterized grid and increased reliability, integral parts of power grid will remain on
- Have an ability to generate more power than ever before, way the electric grid operates is completely different than it operated in the past, different from crisis mode
- When I held meeting with border sheriffs, also had sheriffs from the Panhandle; border security is important for all regions of the state
- Asks after shelters in North Texas, immigrants under bridge
- Abbott – Dept. of Defense and Director of Homeland Security are in charge of those under the bridge, those under the bridge will be relocated by Dept. of Defense, some to New Mexico, California, Laredo
- Nothing but uncertainty and indecision by Biden admin
- Leadership in Del Rio requested DPS and TxDOT to help with barriers, intends to shut down city-owned toll bridge to stop traffic from Mexico
- 23k children tested positive for COVID in school, state government is fighting mask mandates to keep children safe
- Abbott – Challenges have arisen from patchwork approach to implement policies
- In areas where people are vaccinated or have acquired immunity, their probability of getting COVID is slim, have seen a decline in hospitalizations for 4 weeks, declines in positivity rates
- Seeing mirror from other jurisdictions of Delta variant quickly burning away
- Parents have right & responsibility to make decisions
- Is eliminating rape a realistic goal
- Abbott – Highlights previous actions, testified as AG in support of death penalty sentence for repeat child sex offenders, defended this law in court
- Created unit to investigate & prosecute human trafficking
- Processed more rape kits than any Governor in history of state, appropriated $100 million to increase crime lab testing and eliminate backlog
- Extended statute of limitations to give prosecutors more time
- Created office to assist sexual assault victims
- Made bail reform an emergency item, some jurisdictions were releasing dangerous criminals
- Bail reform bill did not pass due to Democrat quorum break
- Also supported passage of bill prohibiting defunding police