Mr. Speaker. I rise today in strong support of H.R. 6160. the More Border Patrol Agents Now Act of 2006. This legislation will help Border Patrol put agents along our Nations borders now. quickly and cost efficiently. Securing our Nations borders is an issue that ranks at the top of the list for many Americans. The President has responded by committing at least 6.000 new Border Patrol agents on our borders over the next 2 years. I wholeheartedly support this commitment. and the provisions in my bill will help us reach this goal. Shockingly. the Border Patrol statistics show that an average of 33 applicants must be vetted before just one is hired. This means that 66.000 applicants must be screened before just 2.000 new agents are hired. In addition. Border Patrol typically loses 700 agents annually to retirements and other law enforcement agencies. My bill addresses these personnel challenges. First. it provides the Secretary of Homeland Security with the authority to pay recruitment and retention bonuses. Second. it allows the Border Patrol to rehire recently retired agents. From the outset. my bills incentives will encourage highly qualified individuals to become career Border Patrol agents. and once we make these investments to train each agent. we should also make sure these new agents are not recruited away by other law enforcement agencies. Therefore. retention bonuses are essential to maintaining a premier workforce. My legislation also provides authority to the Secretary to rehire retired Border Patrol agents. While some agents hired recently will be able to work until age 60. current law requires most agents to retire at age 57. At a time when the American public is calling for a larger. stronger Border Patrol. it is wrong to overlook this talent pool. After all. most of these retired officers can provide costeffective and valuable expertise almost immediately. These officers could not only manage field operations and oversee agents. but 52.
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