Speech #1140092487

Chair. this amendment is very similar to amendments that have been on this House floor before. presented by me and others. and is similar to an amendment that passed unanimously in the FY 2015 NDAA. It is called the SEND Act. It addresses the process of sending excess military equipment. which is not being used. to our border security folks to help them secure the border. That is the purpose of previous amendments and legislation that started all the way back in 2011. One way that the Department of Defense helps the Border Patrol is through the transfer of equipment that it deems to be in excess to its needs. Under current law. the transfer of this excess equipment gives some preference to counterdrug. counterterrorism. and some border security activities. This amendment simply takes that preference a step further. giving border security preference for a few specific pieces of equipment which are particularly useful for border security applications: unmanned surveillance vehicles. including aerostat blimps that are now being used. night vision goggles. and Humvees. The Border Patrol. as we all know. is the first and last line of defense against criminal gangs that come into the United States. In my home State of Texas. I have been to the border numerous times. and we have the same issue that other border States have with the criminal drug cartels. which are involved in not only bringing drugs into the United States. but in trafficking humans for sex slavery. labor slavery. and other purposes. After talking with them about many. many issues. we found out the situation on the border regarding equipment. A Texas ranger once told me that the drug cartels outman. outgun. outfinance. and outequip the Border Patrol and those who are on the border who are trying to protect us from those criminal gangs that are coming into the United States. One of the issues the last time I was down at the border 2 or 3 weeks ago was that the Border Patrol was actually excited about these aerostats that are being used. That is a blimp that they put up in the sky. and it helps in surveillance along the border. They need more of those on the border. Of course. this amendment does exactly that. It gives a preference to those specific items that are mentioned in the amendment for the Border Patrol to use for border security purposes. Mr. Chair.