Seven of the ten fastest growing economies in the world are in Africa. The continent is developing a middle class that is hungry for U.S. products. We must take advantage of this market. 

The foundation of opportunities for Arkansas and American businesses begins with building relationships. That is why on Monday, I participated in the “Congressional Forum on Investing in the Next Generation in Africa.” This panel discussion was held in front of the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, the flagship exchange initiative of the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI). Included in this audience were 25 Africans who spent the last month and a half in Arkansas. 

I enjoyed speaking to some of these young men and women who enjoyed their time in our state. They appreciate the hospitality of our citizens. This needs to serve as a reminder of the opportunities that cultural exchanges represent and the need to engage on trade potential. 

This is why I joined my colleagues Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Christopher Coons (D-DE) to introduce a bill that increases America’s competiveness throughout Africa by forcing better coordination between U.S. government agencies and departments, establishing comprehensive strategic goals and marshaling private investments to improve U.S.-Africa business activities. This bill challenges us to increase exports to Africa by 200 percent and gives us the incentive and a template for how to reach that goal. 

A key provision of our legislation—the establishment of a White House-designated senior coordinator to review current export strategies with the ultimate goal of significantly increasing our imports to Africa—was included in the law that authorized defense spending for this year.  

As I told the Arkansas Democrat Gazette the way you change the world is through personal relationships. This is a great chance to highlight the people and products of our state. 

Read more in this Arkansas Democrat Gazette story. [Subscription required]

In case you missed our interview with Jonesboro’s KASU radio, you can listen to the interview here. We talked about many of the issues under consideration in Washington including international affairs, the nominee for VA Secretary, immigration crisis and our upcoming agriculture tour that ends in Jonesboro in August.

While the President requested emergency funding to help control the illegal immigrant crisis at the Southwest border, I have concerns with approving money without reforms to our immigration policy. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I asked administration officials about the plans for this request. Watch the administration's response in the video below.

It seems Congress isn’t alone in the struggle to get a straight answer out of the Obama Administration on the true extent of the crisis at our southwest border.

The Administration also continues to dodge press questions on the number of Unaccompanied Children (UACs) from Central America who crossed the Mexican border, were detained and then released into the U.S.

According to the Associated Press (AP), on seven separate occasions in the past two weeks, senior U.S. officials declined to say how many immigrant families the Obama Administration has released in recent months. The Administration knows the exact number, but it refuses to share it with Congress or the American people.

In avoiding Congressional and public scrutiny, the President has found a strong ally in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid who blocks Republican oversight amendments, dismisses calls to investigate Administration stonewalling and, at times, even chastises the American people for caring about accountability in Washington.  

This is yet another serious matter where instead of exercising oversight, Majority Leader Reid covers for the President’s team as it stalls, delays and pleads ignorance on this, and virtually every other matter upon which the Administration is challenged.

The AP reports that the UACs crisis has significant ramifications on our justice system, border patrol resources and our national security:

“The mystery figure is significant because the number of families caught crossing from Central America represents a large share of new immigration cases that will further strain the overwhelmed U.S. immigration courts system. It also affects federal enforcement strategy, such as where to deploy the border patrol, and political calculations about whether Congress or the White House will relax American immigration laws or regulations before upcoming congressional elections in November.” 

The reality is we do have an unprecedented humanitarian crisis, but it is a crisis that has been shaped and exasperated by the President’s failure to enforce the law. The Administration’s misguided policies create the idea that if children make it to the U.S. illegally, they won’t be turned away.  This is a far cry from the laws on the book—the very laws that many of my colleagues and I have demanded time and time again that the President respect. 

The Administration denies any wrongdoing and claims to be working to change this “misconception,” but the heads of the relevant agencies don’t have the necessary answers to Congressional inquiries and the Senate Majority refuses to ensure this is indeed happening. Not once has Majority Leader Reid questioned the Administration’s account, much less asked the Department of Homeland Security or the White House to provide accurate, detailed information

While the Senate Majority plays defense for the President, the House held a hearing yesterday on this crisis, an additional hearing today, and more likely on the way. I support as many hearings as necessary to get straight answers from the Administration. If Majority Leader Reid would follow the House’s lead, we might actually get them. Better yet, he could follow House Speaker John Boehner’s lead and create a working group to develop solutions to the crisis. The fact is the records show that the Administration knew the surge at the border was coming and did nothing to stop it. This is why a Senate hearing on the crisis is unlikely as Majority Leader Reid will continue to walk lock step with the President.

Majority Leader Reid’s actions are not an accident. His strategy is designed to protect the President and allow his actions to continue unfettered. This needs to change. The American people are demanding accountability. They want the government to adhere to the laws on the books and quickly and legally repatriate anyone here illegally. Majority Leader Reid needs to stop blocking Republican efforts to answer their calls.