Speech #1090139010

Mr. President. I rise today to commend the Senate for accepting my amendment to the Immigration Reform Bill which addresses an area that needs more attentionthe northern border of the United States. We have 5.526 miles of border between the United States and Canada. This is over double the size of our southern border. Along Montanas 560mile portion of the border we have remote terrain which is mountainous and difficult to patrol. My amendment will help our Border Patrol cover this vast area by requiring the Department of Homeland Security to conduct a pilot program using unmanned aerial vehicles along the northern border. In his immigration speech last week. President Bush emphasized that in addition to personnel and training we must also employ the latest technologies. The Border Patrol has already conducted successful tests using UAVs along the southwestern border in Arizona. This was done for surveillance and detection of individuals attempting to enter the U.S. illegally. My amendment requires that some of the UAVs already in the bill be used to run a pilot program on the northern border similar to the program which was conducted on the southern border. We dont want to compete with our friends along the U.S. border with Mexico. but I want to make it clear that the northern border also needs increased attention. As you can imagine. as the southern border of the U.S. is tightened. our northern borderwhich used to be Americas back dooris quickly becoming the front door. Customs and Border Patrol reports that their number one concern on the southern border is illegal immigration. What is their number one concern on the northern border? Terrorism.