Speech #1090175510

Speaker. I have every intention of voting for the resolution on the floor today because it honors the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol. But I think the greatest way to honor the men and women who risk their lives to protect us against terrorist attacks is by passing legislation that provides the funding and tools they need to do their job effectively. It is unfortunate. however. that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle show this appreciation only through rhetoric. The Bush Administration has had almost six years to secure the border. the Republican Congress eleven. Yet in the past two weeks they have chosen to honor our border agents by recycling legislation that has no funding. The sponsor of todays resolution voted "yes" only once of the last 5 border security bills proposed to enhance the resources of the Border Patrol. That vote. taken on May 2. 2005. was a $284 million emergency spending bill to secure the nations border. It would have allowed 550 additional border patrol agents and 200 additional immigration investigators. Unfortunately. the Republicans voted "no" on motion. Similarly. last December. my Republican colleagues voted against the Democratic Motion to Recommit for H.R. 4437 which would have: Created 3.000 new U.S. Border Patrol agent positions every year through FY 2010 (a total of 12.000 new agents). Added 25.000 new detention beds every year through FY 2010 (a total of 100.000 new beds) to permanently end catchandrelease. Developed a comprehensive. technologically superior. roundtheclock. fully interoperable surveillance system to monitor every mile of the border.