Providing For Consideration Of H.R. 6061, Secure Fence Act Of 2006
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 6061, SECURE FENCE ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - September 14, 2006)
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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, where I stand, I have to say the majority sure seem like ponies. Last week, we were down here on the floor voting on a horse protection bill. This week, the majority is again on the floor having us vote on a bill that has already passed.
This ``one trick pony'' approach to legislating is stale. The majority is out of fresh ideas on how to secure the border, and it shows.
Last night, I offered an amendment in Rules that would have provided an all-encompassing approach to border security and ensured 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, Mr. Speaker, is bizarre. Why are we telling the Department to build a fence before they have come up with a 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 would cost to just build the fence alone is in the neighborhood of $7 billion. Once you add the 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 would the National Guard be there now? 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 have given them helicopters, all-terrain vehicles, radio communication, GPS devices and night-vision goggles.
There are many more provisions in my bill that I am prepared to discuss today, had my amendment been allowed to be considered. But given that there are many speakers who wish to be recognized, Mr. Speaker, I will close.
The only thing I want to share is that people talk about operational control. The only way you can do it is comprehensively.
This is an unfunded mandate. There are no dollars attached to it. Republicans always talk about unfunded mandates. The priority at this time is not a fence, it is a comprehensive strategy, and because we have no comprehensive strategy for border protection at this time, I am in opposition, Mr. Speaker, to the rule.
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