Speech #1090093783

Mr. President. I am pleased to join Senator DOMENICI in introducing the Border Security and Modernization Act of 2005. Senator DOMENICI and I represent border States. but the bill we are introducing today is not one of merely regional importance. Border security is an issue that affects our country as a whole. We cannot have homeland security without strong and effective border security. The Administration has signaled that it wants to have a vigorous debate on border security and immigration issue early next year. Our bill does not attempt to change immigration law. but it squarely addresses the border security issue. I began working on border security long before the attacks of September 11. 2001. The Northern border is over 4.000 miles long. In the past. almost all of our resources in this country were targeted at the Southern border.