Speech #1090179810

President. I would like to discuss the bill pending before us. the Secure Fence Act of 2006. Over the past year. many Senators. as well as President Bush. have dedicated themselves to addressing the problems of our broken immigration system. In April. the Senate overwhelmingly passed. in a bipartisan fashion. a comprehensive immigration reform package designed to secure our borders as well as address the economic need for workers in our Nation. In passing this legislation. the Senate rejected the argument for an "enforcement first" strategy that focuses on border security only. an ineffective and illadvised approach. Congress cannot take a piecemeal approach to a national security crisis. I believe the only way to truly secure our border and protect our Nation is through the enactment of comprehensive immigration reform. As long as there is a need for workers in the United States and people are willing to cross the desert to make a better life for their families. our border will never be secure. The Secure Fence bill authorizes 700 miles of fencing along our southern border. To many in Congress. this sounds like a "quick fix" to our border security problems. However. in a briefing before the Senate Judiciary Committee last spring. Secretary of Homeland Security Chertoff clearly stated that only 370 miles of fencing along the southern border is necessary. I find it interesting that this bill would mandate 700 miles of fencing in light of the Secretarys statement. In fact. it is my understanding that the Secretary feels that the additional 330 miles of fencing is not only unnecessary but also imprudent because it will force DHS to reduce funding other border security initiatives. Because of the clear wishes of the Secretary and the concerns of border communities over the disruption the construction will cause to commerce along the border. a group of Senators. including myself. had hoped to offer and vote on an amendment that would allow the Secretary of Homeland Security. the true expert on securing our border. to decide where fencing was necessary along the border and where money was better spent on other types of border security measures. It would have asked for local community input on the placement and construction of this wall. My understanding is that this amendment had been circulated in both Chambers and no objections had been raised by the leadership in the House or the Senate or the committees of jurisdiction.