Senator Kelly speaks on bipartisan border deal

WASHINGTON (KYMA, KECY) - Arizona Senator Mark Kelly spoke on the Senate floor urging his colleagues to take up the bipartisan border agreement.

Kelly shared on Wednesday the real-life consequences for Arizona border communities after Republicans walked away from the bipartisan border deal three months ago.

Kelly spoke on the need to break through the gridlock and get something done to fix the border.

"We could have been on our way to hiring more than 1,000 additional border patrol agents and paying them better. We could have new technology to detect fentanyl and more personnel to seize those drugs, keeping them from getting into our communities," stated Senator Mark Kelly (D-Arizona). "We could have new authorities to prevent the border from being overwhelmed, authorities that the President committed to using. That includes an updated asylum system with more officers to quickly screen claims. All of these things are things that my Republican colleagues have wanted for years. Arizona, today, has none of it.” 

In February, the Senate failed to advance the national security bill with border security measures.  

Kelly continued to add that the Tucson Sector has been the busiest in illegal crossings since February.