Thompson Speaks About Real Border Security on the House Floor
Statement of Congressman Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, on the Floor of the House, in opposition to the Rule for H.R. 6061.
- On The House Floor -
Mr. Speaker, from where I stand, I have to say that the Majority sure seems to like ponies.
Last week, we were down here on the House floor voting on a horse protection bill.
This week, the Majority is again asking us to vote on a measure that already passed the House.
This “one trick pony” approach to legislating is stale.
The Majority is all out of fresh ideas on how to secure the border and it shows.
Last night, I offered an amendment in the Rules Committee that would have provided an all-encompassing approach to border security and ensure that every mile of the border is monitored and secured 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
A fence alone won’t protect us from those who want to harm us.
Even the Department of Homeland Security has come to realize that we need an integrated approach that combines personnel, equipment, technology and infrastructure.
The timing of this vote is bizarre.
Why are we telling the Department to build a fence, before they have come up with their comprehensive solution?
Are we really going to tie up billions and billions in border security dollars to build a fence, when the Border Patrol and ICE need more agents and investigators?
Estimates on what it will cost to just build the fence are in the neighborhood of $7 billion.
Once you add in maintenance costs, we are looking at possibly doubling that number.
My amendment, that the Rules Committee rejected, would have provided the Border Patrol with 3,000 more agents.
We know they need the help. Why else is the National Guard deployed to the border to backfill positions?
It also would have added 2,000 new ICE investigators and 250 detention officers.
It would have provided the men and women who police the border with equipment they need to get the job done.
It would give them:
- Helicopters,
- All-terrain vehicles,
- Radio communications
- GPS devices, and
- Night vision goggles.
There are many more provisions of my bill that I was prepared to discuss today, if my amendment was allowed to be considered, but given that there are many other speakers who would like to be recognized, I will close.
There’s a lot that is left to be done to secure the nation.
Just ask the 9/11 Commissioners. Building of a fence to span our entire land border is not one of their recommendations.
And it is not something that the experts who testified this summer said would work.
It is hard to believe that this legislative week is ending on such a low note.
Thank you.
For Further Information:
Please contact Dena Graziano or Todd Levett at (202) 226-2616.
