U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) took to the Senate floor today to put the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services on notice that he intends to ask him a series of questions regarding his agency’s efforts to reunite 2,300 children who have reportedly been separated from their parents when he testifies before the Senate Finance Committee tomorrow.
Nelson, who on Saturday toured an HHS facility in Homestead, Florida that’s holding 70 children who were separated from their parents, but was not allowed to speak to the kids, said by putting the secretary on notice now he expects full and complete answers when the secretary is under oath tomorrow.
“Why are they not allowing us to speak with the children that have been separated from their parents?” Nelson said. ”Why is HHS refusing to provide us with the information that we ask about these children, including what’s being done right now to reunite them with their families?”
“The secretary should have plenty of time between now and his testimony tomorrow to the Finance Committee to find the information he needs to fully answer these questions,” Nelson said, “and I want to be very clear about tomorrow’s hearing because this senator will expect full answers to each of the questions. No backtrack, no get off on a different subject. The American people want to know about these children and when are they going to be reunited.”
HHS Secretary Alex Azar is scheduled to testify before the Senate Finance Committee at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow. Nelson is a senior member of the committee.
“There is no reason why this administration should be putting up barriers and preventing members of congress from doing their jobs and checking on the welfare of these children,” Nelson said on the Senate floor today.
Here’s a transcript of his speech:
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson
Remarks on the Senate Floor
June 25, 2018
[…]
Based on what I was told by officials at the facility I visited Saturday, there is no plan in place to reunify these children. So is that the reason that they are prohibiting me from speaking to Barbara Flotus today? Because there still is no plan? Well, all of this is unacceptable. And the American people deserve the answers to these questions.
Well, tomorrow, this senator plans to get some of these answers because the secretary of H.H.S., Secretary Azar, is coming in front of the Senate Finance Committee.
But before he testifies, I want to give him a heads up on the questions that I’m going to ask and I expect some answers.
And these are the questions regarding these children and the reunification quickly with their parents. I want the secretary, Secretary Azar, to let him know that I would like him to explain – and by the way, when he’s in front of the Senate Finance Committee, he is under oath – I would like him to explain where are these children right now?
Where are they all over the country? When are they going to be reunited with their families? Why is the department of HHS denying members of congress access to the facilities?
Why is [HHS] not allowing us – when we are given entrance into the facilities as I was on Saturday – why are they not allowing us to speak with the children that have been separated from their parents?
And why is HHS refusing to provide us with the information that we ask about these children, including what’s being done right now to reunite them with their families?
I thought I was going to have a good news story to report to the Senate today, when I talked to Barbara Flotus whose name I was given, but I’ve been denied the opportunity to speak with her.
The Secretary should have plenty of time between now and his testimony tomorrow to the Finance Committee to find the information he needs to fully answer these questions, and I want to be very clear about tomorrow’s hearing because this senator will expect full answers to each of these questions.
No backtrack, no get off on a different subject. The American people want to know about these children and when are they going to be reunited, and that was not covered in the president’s executive order.
There is no reason why this administration should be putting up barriers and preventing members of congress from doing their jobs and checking on the welfare of these children.
Madam president, I yield the floor.
