During a Senate Health Committee hearing on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Biden administration health officials were pressed on where billions of dollars in pandemic mitigation funding has gone as the country faces a massive Wuhan coronavirus testing shortage.
According to Republican Senator Susan Collins, nearly $2 billion has been rerouted to deal with the self-inflicted illegal immigration crisis on the southern border.
"I'm asking you specifically how much of the testing budget was diverted from the testing budget to deal with the surge of people, including unaccompanied minors, illegally crossing the southern border and how much money was diverted out of the funds allocated for the strategic stock pile?" Collins asked Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O'Connell. "I will tell you that our staff's investigation found that $850 million out of the testing budget and another $850 million out of the allocation for the stockpile were instead used to deal with the crisis at the southern border."
"Senator, I'll be happy to take that back and discuss it with our finance team," O'Connell responded.
Meanwhile, the crisis at the southern border continues to rage with no end in sight.
NEW: DHS data shows that 47,705 illegal immigrants failed to report to ICE after they were released into the U.S. with a NTR between 3/31 and 8/31.
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) January 11, 2022
NTR is a request to check in w/ ICE within 60 days.
104,171 NTRs issued.
49,859 checked in with ICE.
47,705 did not. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/uUkBuPXHtx
Migrants starting to arrive in La Joya, TX right now after crossing illegally. They are being escorted by Border Patrol to a processing area. @FoxNews pic.twitter.com/VYEzpH1ihV
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) January 11, 2022