Roy: "We're tired of campaigning on border security and complaining about Joe Biden."

In a recent online statement, Representative Chip Roy called on Congressional Republicans to leverage their constitutional "power of the purse" to enforce stricter border security, ahead of September's budget approval process. The move has garnered both support and criticism.

"We're tired of campaigning on border security and complaining about Joe Biden," Roy said. "It's time to do something about it."

On August 29, Roy urged fellow Congressional Republicans to take decisive action on border security by utilizing the "power of the purse", the constitutional authority vested in Congress to control federal spending.

"We should use the power of the purse in September to hold the Biden Admin accountable and secure the border," Roy said.

The power of the purse allows Congress to allocate or withhold funding for specific programs, agencies, or initiatives. One historical example of Congress exercising this authority to influence state policy is the passage of the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. Under this act, Congress withheld 10% of federal highway funds from states that did not raise their minimum drinking age to 21. The tactic was effective, as all states eventually complied by raising their legal drinking age.

As the budget approval process for the next fiscal year approaches in September, Roy is advocating for a similar strategy to compel the Biden Administration to enforce stricter border security measures. The suggestion comes amid increased scrutiny of the administration's immigration policies, particularly concerning the southern U.S.-Mexico border.

The idea of using the power of the purse to push for border security is not without its critics. Opponents argue that the approach could lead to a politically charged budget standoff, similar to the 2018–2019 United States federal government shutdown over funding for a border wall, which was the longest in US history, 35 days long.

Representative Roy's statement has drawn considerable attention, with some party members expressing support for the strategy. However, it remains to be seen whether enough consensus exists among lawmakers to pursue such a course of action in the upcoming budget negotiations.