Speech #1100082752

In order to provide for the orderly processing of appropriations bills in the Senate. it was essential to vote to sustain the ruling of the Chair under rule XVI. However. I still believe it is important that we not miss this opportunity to provide robust funding to secure our borders and to enforce our immigration law. Therefore. I support the amendment providing $3 billionthat is $3 for every minute since Jesus Christ was bornget that. hear me. $3 for every minute since Jesus Christ was bornin emergency spending to hire. train. and equip Border Patrol agents and immigration enforcement officials. procure additional detention beds. expand our immigration enforcement efforts on the interior. construct border fencing infrastructure. and technology. and other steps to secure our borders. This $3 billion will not be encumbered by controversial legislative and policy issues. Instead. it will be used in support of already authorized activities such as hiring Border Patrol agents. building fencing and other border technology. and enforcing the immigration laws already on the books. Specifically. this amendment will hire. train. and equip at least 5.000 new Border Patrol agents. in addition to the 3.000 new agents funded in the underlying bill. It will procure more than 4.000 additional detention beds. in addition to the 4.000 new beds funded in the underlying bill. It will hire more than 1.000 new immigration investigators and detention and removal personnel to perform interior enforcement activities such as expanding the work site enforcement investigation. It will increase the number of Criminal Alien Program and Fugitive Operations teams to locate and remove the over 630.000 fugitive alien absconders whom a judge has already ordered to be removed. It provides an additional $1 billion for border fencing. infrastructure. and technology. Finally. it provides funds to procure additional helicopters. fixedwing aircraft. marine vessels. and other border surveillance equipment. as well as funds to construct additional border stations in which our Border Patrol agents work. This amendment is balanced. and it is focused on meeting the immediate border security needs while enforcing our current immigration law. I urge my colleagues on my left and my colleagues on my right to support the amendment. I thank all Senators. and I yield the floor.