Austin News

On January 28, 2025, U.S. Senator John Cornyn addressed the Senate floor to discuss Texas Governor Greg Abbott's request for federal reimbursement of state expenses related to border security. Cornyn emphasized that securing the Texas-Mexico border is a federal responsibility and criticized the Biden administration's handling of border issues.

"In the midst of the Biden administration’s abject failure to keep the American people safe and control the movement of people and drugs, including some of the most dangerous criminals you can imagine, it was up to the State of Texas and our leadership, like Governor Abbott, to step up and defend our people and our borders to the best we could," said Cornyn.

He noted that "the Biden-Harris administration’s abject dereliction of its responsibility at an international border to enforce the law cost the State of Texas about $11.1 billion." Cornyn asserted that maintaining national border security is a duty of the federal government rather than individual states.

Cornyn stated his support for Abbott's request for Congress to reimburse Texas: "Governor Abbott has asked Congress to reimburse Texas for its costs that should have been incurred by the federal government."

He continued, "I support this request, and along with our state delegation, we are going to fight to get Texas taxpayers the money they’re rightfully owed."

Cornyn concluded by arguing that "Texas taxpayers should not have to foot the bill alone as a result of President Biden’s mishandling of border policy" and insisted that "the federal government created this crisis, and it’s up to the federal government to pay the tab."