House Republican presses bill to prevent Harris from traveling overseas before visiting the border

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Iowa Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson appeared on the House floor Monday to press for legislation that would bar Vice President Harris from taxpayer-funded international travel until she visits the southern border first.

Harris, whom President Biden deputized to lead efforts in Central America to eradicate the "root causes" of the massive waves of illegal immigrants heading from there to the U.S. border, has faced strong Republican criticism for not bothering to experience firsthand the crisis she's playing a role in ending.

"This crisis is worsening by the day. Yet, the vice president has refused to go to the border herself and talk to the brave law enforcement officers, the men and women who are fighting this on the frontlines. This out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach is a disgrace," Hinson said on the House floor.

"She’s been to yarn shops, she’s been to bakeries, and she just flew right over the crisis at our southern border to meet with foreign countries with the taxpayer’s checkbook in hand. When asked why she hasn’t visited the border, she laughed. She laughed, and this is no laughing matter. The border crisis impacts the safety and security of every Iowan, of every American. Every state is a border state right now."

HARRIS FALSELY CLAIMS ‘WE’VE BEEN TO THE BORDER' WHEN PRESSED ON HER LACK OF VISIT

Hinson asked for immediate consideration of her measure, but Democrats rebuffed her. House Rules Committee Chairman Jim McGovern, D-Mass., rejected the proposal as unserious and said it was not worth discussing any further.

The White House repeatedly has made the point that Harris was put in charge of addressing the reasons why migrants are leaving their homes, not border security itself.

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But, amid escalating pressure from Republicans, Harris recently said she would visit the border, though she declined to say when. 

The vice president flew to Guatemala and Mexico last week to address issues like corruption and economic reform as part of the administration's effort to eliminate the causes of migration. Nevertheless, Harris was repeatedly forced during the trip to focus instead on questions about why she had not visited the border.