Speech #1090178911

With this bill. the federal government takes important steps forward on securing our border and reforming the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). It is heartening to see that Congress is beginning to wake up to the critical importance of a secure border. Indeed. this bill provides $21.3 billion for border protection and immigration enforcementnearly an 11 percent increase over last yearincluding $5.2 billion for the departments Secure Border Initiative. the governments comprehensive multiyear plan to secure Americas borders and reduce illegal migration through enhanced technology. infrastructure. and personnel. $2.25 billion is provided for the addition of 1.500 new Border Patrol agents. bringing the total to 14.800. and $1.2 billion for border fencing. vehicle barriers. technology. and other infrastructure improvements. H.R. 5441 also takes important steps to protect against the growing threat of border tunneling. Penalties for individuals who assist in the construction or financing on border tunnels will be subject to much harsher penaltiesfines and imprisonment of up to 20 years. Anyone using a border tunnel to smuggle aliens. weapons. or other goods will be subject to a maximum term of imprisonment that is twice the punishment that would have applied had a tunnel not been used. In addition. I am extremely pleased that the conference committee provided more thanexpected funds to assist in the transfer of the Shadow Wolves from the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) back to their logical home in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Shadow Wolves officers are Native Americans who combine modem technology with ancient tracking techniques to play a critical role in our governments counternarcotics efforts along the 76 miles of border and 2.8 million acres within the Tohono Oodham Nation. When the Department of Homeland Security was originally created. the Shadow Wolves were placed under the control of the CBP.