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Brian Babin
RTo be claimed
Former Member, Environment Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Former Chair, Space Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Subcommittee on Environment (Science, Space and Technology), United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials, United States House of Representatives
Former Member, Environment Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Former Chair, Space Subcommittee, United States House of Representatives
Member, Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
Member, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
Member, Subcommittee on Highways and Transit
Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics
Member, Subcommittee on Water Resources and Environment
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life
1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No
2. Do you support expanding federal funding to support entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare?
- No
1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support the protection of government officials, including law enforcement officers, from personal liability in civil lawsuits concerning alleged misconduct?
- Yes
Do you support increasing defense spending?
- Yes
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
3. Do you support providing financial relief to businesses AND/OR corporations negatively impacted by the state of national emergency for COVID-19?
- Yes
1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No
1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, geo-thermal)?
- No
2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No
1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes
2. Do you support requiring businesses to provide paid medical leave during public health crises, such as COVID-19?
- No
1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes
2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes
1. Should the United States use military force to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a weapon of mass destruction (for example: nuclear, biological, chemical)?
- Unknown Position
2. Do you support reducing military intervention in Middle East conflicts?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you generally support removing barriers to international trade (for example: tariffs, quotas, etc.)?
- Yes
1. Abortions should always be legally available.
- No Answer
2. Abortions should be legal in all circumstances as long as the procedure is completed within the first trimester of pregnancy.
- No Answer
3. Abortions should be legal only when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape or when the life of the woman is endangered.
- No Answer
4. Abortions should be legal only when the life of the woman is endangered.
- X
5. Abortions should be limited by waiting periods and notification requirements as decided by each state government.
- No Answer
6. Abortions should always be illegal.
- No Answer
7. Other
- No Answer
1. The federal government should consider preferences to minority-owned businesses in granting government contracts.
- No Answer
2. The federal government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the public sector.
- No Answer
3. The federal government should prosecute cases of discrimination in the private sector.
- No Answer
4. The federal government should provide affirmative actions programs as long as such programs do not include quotas.
- No Answer
5. The federal government should not provide any affirmative action programs.
- X
6. Other
- No Answer
Do you support amending the US Constitution to require an annual balanced federal budget?
- Yes
1. AIDS Programs
- Greatly Decrease
2. Arts funding
- Eliminate
3. Education (K-12)
- Greatly Decrease
4. Environmental programs
- Slightly Decrease
5. Housing projects
- Greatly Decrease
6. Job training programs
- Greatly Decrease
7. Law enforcement
- Yes
8. Medicaid
- Yes
9. Medicare
- No
10. NASA
- Maintain Status
11. Student loan programs
- Slightly Increase
12. Welfare (AFDC)
- Greatly Decrease
13. Other
- No Answer
14. Agriculture
- Yes
15. Education
- Yes
16. Farm subsidies
- Yes
17. Food stamps
- Yes
18. School lunches
- Yes
19. Welfare
- Yes
1. Prohibit Political Action Committee (PAC) contributions to candidates for federal office.
- No Answer
2. Establish spending limits on congressional campaigns and provide public funding for complying candidates.
- No Answer
3. Support legislation that would increase the federal limits on individual contributions.
- No Answer
4. Pass legislation that would encourage full and timely disclosure of campaign finance information.
- No Answer
5. Remove all legislative limits on campaign financing.
- No Answer
6. Other
- No Answer
1. Broaden use of the death penalty for federal crimes.
- X
2. Increase spending to build more federal prisons.
- No Answer
3. Impose "truth in sentencing" for violent criminals so they serve full sentences with no chance of parole.
- X
4. Support the use of "boot camps" as alternative sentencing for adult first-time felons.
- No Answer
5. Limit the number of appeals allowed to inmates on death row.
- X
6. Fund programs to provide prison inmates with vocational and job-related skills and job-placement assistance when released.
- No Answer
7. Expand funding for community policing programs.
- No Answer
8. Increase penalties for the possession of any illegal firearms.
- No Answer
9. Prosecute youths accused of murder as adults.
- X
10. Increase funding for local Boys & Girls Clubs and other independent organizations in communities with at-risk youth.
- No Answer
11. Reduce prison sentences for those who commit non-violent crimes.
- No Answer
12. Deport all permanent resident aliens convicted of a felony.
- X
13. Other
- No Answer
1. CIA appropriations
- Maintain Status
2. Defense plant conversion
- No Answer
3. Military hardware
- Slightly Increase
4. Military space shuttle missions
- Maintain Status
5. Pay for active duty personnel
- Greatly Increase
6. Development of new weapons
- Greatly Increase
7. Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)
- Greatly Increase
8. Armed Forces personnel training
- Greatly Increase
9. Other
- No Answer
1. Do you support amending the United States Constitution to allow voluntary prayer and/or moment of silence in public schools?
- Yes
2. Do you support funding the National Service Program (Ameri-Corps) in which young people receive money from the federal government for college in return for performing community service?
- No
1. Maintain the national standards and goals set forth in "Goals 2000".
- No Answer
2. Provide parents with vouchers to send their children to any publicly funded school.
- No Answer
3. Provide parents with vouchers to send their children to any participating school: public, private or religious.
- X
4. Implement charter schools where teachers and professionals receive authorization and funding to establish new schools.
- No Answer
5. Eliminate the Department of Education, thereby giving state and local government greater control over educational issues.
- X
6. Other
- No Answer
1. Transfer public lands, such as federal forests and range lands, to the jurisdiction of state and local governments.
- No Answer
2. Require the federal government to reimburse citizens when environmental regulations limit use of privately owned lands.
- X
3. Strengthen the Clean Water Act.
- No Answer
4. Change the Endangered Species Act of 1973 to limit the number of habitats eligible to be designated as endangered.
- X
5. Utilize cost-benefit analysis to determine economic impacts of proposed environmental protection and cleanup legislation.
- X
6. Increase fees charged to ranchers who graze cattle on federal lands.
- No Answer
7. Revise the 1872 mining law to increase the amounts charged to mining companies using federal lands.
- No Answer
8. Encourage development of alternative fuels and electric cars to reduce pollution.
- X
9. Strengthen emission controls on all gasoline or diesel powered engines, including cars and trucks.
- X
10. Increase federal taxes on gasoline and diesel fuels to promote conservation and alternative fuel development.
- No Answer
11. Require that a percentage of purchases made by federal agencies include recycled components.
- No Answer
12. Promote the selling of pollution credits to encourage industries to decrease amount of pollution.
- X
13. Other
- No Answer
1. Border security
- Federal
2. Civil rights enforcement
- Federal
3. Education
- Local
4. Environmental cleanup
- Federal
5. Job training
- None
6. Law enforcement
- Local
7. Low-income housing
- State
8. Medicaid
- State
9. Medicare
- Federal
10. Welfare (AFDC)
- State
11. Other
- No Answer
1. Should the US have diplomatic relations with the government of Cuba?
- No
2. Should the US have diplomatic relations with the government of Vietnam?
- No
3. Should the US recognize and extend full diplomatic relations to Taiwan?
- Yes
4. Should the US continue funding for Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty?
- No
5. Should the US continue funding for Radio Marti and TV Marti?
- Yes
6. Should the US continue funding for Radio Free Asia?
- Yes
7. Do you support the deployment of US troops to the former Yugoslavia?
- No
1. Economic aid to Russia and the former republics should be increased to facilitate democracy and market reforms.
- No Answer
2. Economic aid to Russia and the former republics should be continued unless Russia exports nuclear weapons or related technology.
- X
3. Economic aid to Russia and the former republics should be decreased and/or eliminated.
- No Answer
4. Other
- No Answer
5. Foreign aid should only be given when extraordinary circumstances and disaster threaten the lives of civilian populations.
- X
6. Foreign aid should be given to countries only when it is in the security interests of the United States.
- X
7. Foreign aid should be eliminated from any nation with documented human rights abuses.
- X
8. Foreign aid should be maintained at current levels.
- No Answer
9. The US should contribute more funding and troops to United Nations peacekeeping missions.
- No Answer
10. The US should participate in UN peacekeeping missions only when vital US interests are directly threatened.
- X
11. The US should use military force only when the US border or territories are attacked or American citizens are in danger.
- No Answer
12. The US should pay the money it owes to the United Nations.
- No Answer
13. The US should withdraw from the UN completely.
- No Answer
1. Expand the nationwide ban on the sale or transfer of assault weapons to include all forms of semi-automatic weapons.
- No Answer
2. Increase restrictions on the purchase and possession of firearms.
- No Answer
3. Maintain all federal registration procedures and restrictions on possessing firearms.
- No Answer
4. Ease procedures on the purchase and registration of firearms.
- X
5. Repeal all bans and measures that restrict law-abiding citizens from owning legally-obtained firearms.
- X
6. Allow law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms that are legally owned and registered.
- X
7. Other
- No Answer
1. Implement a universal health care program to guarantee coverage to all Americans regardless of income.
- No Answer
2. Provide vouchers to the working poor so they can buy into a private health care plan.
- No Answer
3. Implement a government-financed, single-payer national health care system similar to that of Canada.
- No Answer
4. Support a "managed competition" health care plan to contain costs and improve access that does not include mandated health alliances, government cost control powers, or employer/employee mandates.
- X
5. Provide tax incentives for small businesses to help provide health care to their employees.
- X
6. Allow middle and low income families to deduct yearly health care costs from their taxable income.
- X
7. Establish limits on the amount of damages awarded in medical malpractice lawsuits.
- X
8. Encourage tax-free medical savings accounts, which would be taxed if used for any purpose other than medical costs.
- X
9. The federal government has no responsibility in providing health care.
- No Answer
10. Other
- No Answer
1. Increase penalties for selling illegal drugs.
- X
2. Impose mandatory jail sentences for selling illegal drugs.
- X
3. Impose capital punishment for convicted international drug traffickers.
- X
4. Require drug testing for federal employees in sensitive positions (Air Traffic Control, National Park Police, Secret Service, etc.).
- X
5. Strengthen current laws dealing with non-controlled substances, including inhalants and commercially available pills.
- X
6. Increase funding of federally-sponsored drug education and drug treatment programs.
- No Answer
7. Decriminalize the possession and private use of marijuana.
- No Answer
8. Other
- No Answer
1. Further limit the number of immigrants allowed into the country.
- X
2. Prohibit states from passing laws that deny human services (medical care, education) to illegal immigrants or their children.
- No Answer
3. Ease citizenship requirements in order to make it easier for immigrants to become United States citizens.
- No Answer
4. Establish English as the official and recognized language of the United States.
- X
5. Provide extra federal aid to states with higher numbers of immigrants for necessary medical and social services.
- No Answer
6. Restrict the eligibility of legal immigrants for certain social programs (i.e. AFDC, HUD housing, food stamps, etc.).
- X
7. Children of illegal immigrants, born in the United States, should not automatically receive US citizenship.
- X
8. Other
- No Answer
Should the President be allowed to veto certain items of legislation while signing spending or tax bills into law?
- Yes
1. Provide tax incentives for companies to hire and train homeless people who want to work.
- No Answer
2. Increase funding of homeless shelters and low income housing projects.
- No Answer
3. Increase funding of programs that help alcoholics and drug addicts recover and find steady work.
- No Answer
4. Increase the minimum wage.
- No Answer
5. Provide homeless families with apartment vouchers they can use to supplement the cost of an apartment.
- No Answer
6. Provide government jobs for those who wish to work and cannot find a job in the private sector.
- X
7. Increase the income tax deduction on individual contributions made to charities that help the poor and homeless.
- X
8. Implement enterprise zones in communities with high unemployment.
- X
9. Other
- No Answer
1. Retiree income over $40,000
- Greatly Decrease
2. Family income less than $25,000
- Eliminate
3. Family income $25-75,000
- Greatly Decrease
4. Family income $75-150,000
- Greatly Decrease
5. Family income over $150,000
- Greatly Decrease
6. Alcohol Taxes
- Slightly Increase
7. Capital Gains Taxes
- Greatly Decrease
8. Charitable deductions
- Slightly Increase
9. Cigarette Taxes
- Slightly Increase
10. Corporate income taxes
- Slightly Decrease
11. Earned Income Tax Credit
- Greatly Decrease
12. Estate taxes
- Greatly Decrease
13. Medical expense deductions
- Greatly Increase
14. Mortgage deductions
- Maintain Status
15. Other
- No Answer
16. Do you support replacing the US income tax structure with a flat income tax?
- Yes
17. Do you support replacing the US income tax structure with a broad-based consumption tax?
- Yes
Do you support amending the Constitution to limit the number of terms which members of Congress can serve?
- Yes
1. Relax current guidelines that forbid the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) from investigating terrorist groups when there is a "reasonable indication" of terrorist activities.
- No Answer
2. Relax wiretapping restrictions to give the FBI broader authority to investigate terrorist suspects.
- No Answer
3. Require that chemical tracing agents be added to commercially-sold products that can be used to produce explosives.
- No Answer
4. Implement tighter restrictions on firearm sales in an effort to hinder terrorist groups from stockpiling weapon arsenals.
- No Answer
5. Grant broader authority to the US Immigration and Naturalization Service to deny entrance visas to terrorist suspects.
- X
6. Maintain limits on the authority of federal agencies investigating suspected terrorists.
- X
7. Restrict the investigative authority of the FBI and other governmental agencies.
- No Answer
8. Other
- No Answer
1. Do you support the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?
- No
2. Do you support broadening NAFTA to include other countries?
- No
3. Do you support the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)?
- No
4. Do you support the World Trade Organization (WTO)?
- Undecided
5. Do you support lifting the trade embargo imposed against Cuba?
- No
6. Do you support imposing tariffs on products imported from nations that maintain restrictive trade barriers on American products?
- Yes
7. Should a nation's human rights record affect its "most favored nation" trading status with the United States?
- Yes
1. Provide tax credits for companies that move job-creating industries into areas with high unemployment.
- X
2. Increase funding for national job-training programs.
- No Answer
3. Increase funding for public works projects such as the repair of roads and bridges.
- No Answer
4. Eliminate government regulations of the private sector in order to encourage investment and economic expansion.
- X
5. Establish enterprise zones in areas with large numbers of unemployed people.
- X
6. Overhaul the current unemployment system by focusing on training and education in skills needed in certain industries.
- No Answer
7. Eliminate any governmental programs designed to reduce unemployment.
- No Answer
8. Other
- No Answer
1. Strengthen child support collection procedures and increase penalties for parents who do not pay child support.
- X
2. Impose a two-year limit on welfare benefits for recipients who are able to work.
- X
3. Require welfare recipients to accept some form of government-sponsored job after two years if unemployed in the private sector.
- X
4. Require that unwed teenage mothers live with a parent or guardian (if possible) and attend school to receive benefits.
- X
5. Limit the benefits given to single women if they have additional children while receiving welfare benefits.
- X
6. Provide child care services to welfare recipients who work or attend school.
- No Answer
7. Provide rent or housing supplement vouchers for low-income families.
- No Answer
8. Make no substantial changes at this time.
- No Answer
9. Increase funding of programs that prevent teen pregnancy and family break-up.
- No Answer
10. Support programs that give incentives for employers to hire and train welfare recipients.
- No Answer
11. Other
- No Answer
Should your priorities require additional government funding, please explain how you intend to obtain the additional funding.
- No Answer
1. Do you generally support pro-choice or pro-life legislation?
- Pro-life
1. In order to balance the budget, do you support an income tax increase on any tax bracket?
- No
2. In order to balance the budget, do you support reducing defense spending?
- No
1. Do you support the regulation of indirect campaign contributions from corporations and unions?
- Unknown Position
1. Do you support federal spending as a means of promoting economic growth?
- No
2. Do you support lowering corporate taxes as a means of promoting economic growth?
- Yes
1. Do you support requiring states to adopt federal education standards?
- No
1. Do you support government funding for the development of renewable energy (e.g. solar, wind, thermal)?
- No
2. Do you support the federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions?
- No
1. Do you generally support gun-control legislation?
- No
1. Do you support repealing the 2010 Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare")?
- Yes
1. Do you support the construction of a wall along the Mexican border?
- Yes
2. Do you support requiring immigrants who are unlawfully present to return to their country of origin before they are eligible for citizenship?
- Yes
Do you support the legalization of marijuana for recreational purposes?
- Unknown Position
1. Should the United States use military force in order to prevent governments hostile to the U.S. from possessing a nuclear weapon?
- Yes
2. Do you support increased American intervention in Middle Eastern conflicts beyond air support?
- Yes
Latest Action: House - 06/20/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Tracker:Latest Action: House - 06/19/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.
Tracker:Latest Action: House - 06/13/2019 Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.
Tracker:By Brian Babin Almost a year after its initial passage, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives has once again passed HR 1, the For the People Act. However, there's one major difference this year--this misleadingly named bill is no longer dead on arrival in a Republican Senate or White House. Now that leftists hold the reins of power, Democrat leadership has doubled down on this anti-democratic bill, aiming to use its razor-thin majority in Congress to establish permanent and unopposed domination of our national elections. HR 1, a bill whose number indicates the highest level of priority for Democrats, does nothing to address the numerous crises we're facing. It is silent on the ongoing pandemic, the millions of Americans still unemployed, our unstable and unsecured southern border, and the multitude of children suffering at home because they're not in school. Instead, HR 1 is packed full of mandates to guarantee Democrats control future elections--all under the guise of "election reform." In reality, this bill undermines protections for free speech, destroys the nonpartisan Federal Election Commission, and nationalizes elections, paying no mind to the Constitution or the 10th Amendment. It would require states to automatically register voters, make it harder to verify voter information, and expand mail-in voting without safeguards in place to catch fraud. In fact, HR 1 would silence all discussion about election fraud, voting irregularities, and the countless issues that left half of the country so dissatisfied with the execution and results of the 2020 election. With all of this on the table, and absolutely no bipartisan input, can anyone honestly say that the goal of this bill is to actually benefit the people rather than politicians? We need commonsense election reform that reaffirms the authority of states to create and administer their own election laws, not blatant federal overreach. We need rules that ensure all eligible voters can vote and certainty that those votes will be counted, not a road that leads to election fraud for the benefit of one political party. That's why I recently reintroduced HR 860, the You Must Be Alive to Vote Act, which would prevent people who are deceased from being automatically registered to vote, opening the door to ballot harvesting and fraud. Likewise, in the House, Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., has introduced the Save Democracy Act, which would restore public trust in our national elections by protecting voter registration, ballot casting, and ballot counting. These are the types of reforms that would actually protect American votes and rebuild confidence in our government. One of the quotes inscribed on the wall of the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, D.C., says that our third president swore "upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Like him, I cannot stand idly by as our rights to free speech and free and fair elections are dismantled in Congress by a fanatical and unbalanced majority. I can only hope my colleagues feel as strongly as I do and will fight against this bill in order to protect the American public from the tyranny of the left.
By Brian Babin As medical professionals and members of Congress, we have serious concern over the global spread of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19. Since the disease emerged in Wuhan, China, widespread outbreaks have occurred in South Korea, Iran, Italy and Japan. The number of cases in the United States continues to increase and will likely increase substantially as widespread testing begins. This isn't our first experience dealing with an epidemic, and as medical professionals, we believe the U.S. is prepared to effectively combat the virus. As is being widely reported, good hygiene will help combat the community spread of this virus. Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth if you haven't washed your hands. Avoid handshakes and, instead, try to bump elbows. Sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Stay home if you're ill. Disinfect commonly touched surfaces. Postpone travel. Stay home as much as possible and avoid publicly congregating in order to flatten the curve and protect everyone, particularly the elderly and those with underlying health conditions. These are all commonsense measures to help prevent more widespread transmission. However, good hygiene isn't enough. This pandemic has been compared to influenza, both in terms of the virus' spread and symptoms. But there are key differences. Most significantly, we haven't yet developed medications or vaccines to fight this disease. Most Americans today consider the spread of the flu as potentially dangerous, yet manageable. The flu impacted 35 million Americans last year, causing over 490,000 hospitalizations and over 34,000 deaths. Without medicine or a vaccine, coronavirus has the potential to be more widespread and deadly than the flu. That's why we must take this threat seriously. Most individuals who contract COVID-19 will have mild to severe symptoms that resemble a cold or flu and will recover. However, a significant number will also require hospitalization. If these hospitalizations occur rapidly, it has the potential to overwhelm our hospitals. For instance, emergency room visits or necessary cancer care may be disrupted if our system is overcapacity. Therefore, we must limit the spread. Congress provided $8.3 billion in emergency funding to prepare for this epidemic. This funding will greatly expand the availability of test kits that are vital in our efforts to stop this illness. We can't fight the disease if we don't know where it is and who has it. Testing availability is expanding rapidly. Funding will also ensure our public health departments have resources to set priorities locally and will help develop vaccines and treatments to combat this disease. It is amazing that, in under two months, private companies already are developing vaccines -- a process that typically takes years -- with one already in the beginning trials of human testing. Yet, it may still take a year to bring a safe and effective vaccine to the public. Businesses and community institutions can also help reduce the rapid spread of the virus. For those staying open, easy steps include encouraging people to wash their hands; ensuring access to hand sanitizer; and sanitizing work areas and tools frequently. Businesses and organizers of sporting events and concerts should think about postponing or canceling large events -- if they have not already. Churches and civic clubs should discourage close-quarter contact or consider broadcasting services online. Businesses that allow telework should proactively encourage it and any schools that are still open should plan for closures. We are better prepared today for the COVID-19 outbreak because of the lessons we learned and incorporated from previous pandemics. In June 2019, President Trump signed the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act, which reauthorized public health and preparedness and response programs to give our health officials tools they need to quickly and effectively respond to an emergency. In addition, Congress substantially increased funding for key public health government agencies over the last five years. But more will still need to be done. This is a rapidly changing situation, so check in with health officials frequently for situational updates. With all the challenges associated with a pandemic, there is no country more capable to manage a health crisis than the United States of America. The authors are members of the GOP Doctors Caucus, which is composed of medical providers in Congress who utilize their medical expertise to develop patient-centered health care policy: Phil Roe, who represents Tennessee's First District; Andy Harris, who represents Maryland's First District; Buddy Carter, who represents Georgia's First District; Roger Marshall, who represents Kansas' First District; Scott DeJarlais, who represents Tennessee's Fourth District; Greg Murphy, who represents North Carolina's Third District; Brad Wenstrup, who represents Ohio's Second District; Brian Babin, who represents Texas' 36th District; Drew Ferguson, who represents Georgia's Third District; and John Joyce, who represents Pennsylvania's 13th District.
By Rep. Brian Babin In June of last year, to encourage members of the press to cover real news relevant to the public, my staff distributed copies of an article entitled "Border Patrol agents fall prey to illnesses plaguing migrant holding centers" to a huge crowd of reporters camped outside my office trying to get a peek inside a closed-door hearing about special counsel Robert Mueller's report across the hallway in the House Judiciary Committee. Most of them took one look at the headline, saw that it had nothing to do with the Mueller fiasco, and tossed it aside. After what our nation and the world has been through in the last two months with the Wuhan, China, coronavirus, I suggest media outlets go back and take another look. The article laid out in chilling detail not only the risks that our brave border protection officers face every day but jaw-dropping accounts of numerous infections and transmissions that many of them have contracted while processing massive influxes of people from developing countries (144,000 in May 2019 alone). Among them: H1N1 Swine Flu, typhus, tuberculosis, mumps, lice, and scabies. Our border agents have been seriously affected by diseases that the vast majority of U.S. citizens have been protected from through public health measures and inoculations. The public health concerns laid out in this article go back decades, long before most U.S. citizens had ever heard of the coronavirus or the COVID-19 virus, and they have only grown more serious and deadly with the emergence of this extremely contagious virus. The pro-open borders crowd in Congress and America's wealthiest zip codes are quick to point out that there is no verified transmission of the COVID-19 virus as of yet at our border. They are less likely to tell you that more than 1,100 Chinese nationals were apprehended at our northern and southern borders last year, or that it is not unlikely that people from other countries afflicted by the virus are illegally slipping through our border today. In light of this current major public health threat, the question must be asked: How much of the COVID-19 virus contagion has already come in undetected? This is what we know as of now: -The COVID-19 virus outbreak has now spread to more than 70 countries and affected more than 90,000 people. The World Health Organization has warned that it could soon reach most, "if not all," nations around the world.-The WHO has raised the risk assessment to "very high" as the pneumonia-like virus continues to spread globally. The disease is more than three times as deadly as the seasonal flu, according to the WHO.-Chinese scientists have identified two strains of the virus, suggesting that it has already mutated at least once.-It is largely a mystery as to how this virus is spreading. As of Tuesday, March 3, the WHO suggested it could be more easily transmitted than previously thought, but there is too little data to draw firm conclusions.-Current estimates suggest that symptoms of the COVID-19 virus appear within five days or less in most cases, but the range could be between one and 14 days.-Screening and testing were delayed at controlled international ports of entry into the United States. Screening does not exist at all in uncontrolled areas of our southern border.-Testing methods, as of this writing, are unreliable because of the nature and unknown aspects of the disease. We know that the virus is spreading, yet current methods of detection are unreliable. We are not positive how it is transmitted. Our southern border is porous. These are facts, not political spin. I am calling on responsible Democratic members of Congress to put aside partisan politics for the greater good of America, and the world, and work with Republicans and the Trump administration to secure the border. Time is not on our side to take action to protect our border officials and the greater public from the health hazards there.
