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More Border Patrol Agents Now Act Of 2006

Date: Sept. 26, 2006
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Immigration


MORE BORDER PATROL AGENTS NOW ACT OF 2006 -- (House of Representatives - September 26, 2006)

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Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, the Administration requested that the Border Patrol increase its ranks by 6,000 more agents by 2008. This Congress has failed to act to meet this goal.

This bill is a good start towards ensuring we at least provide better salaries to the Border Patrol agents we already have.

But this bill only addresses part of the border security equation. It fails to address the other half--Customs and Border Protection Officers.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard that the Border Patrol and the Customs and Border Protection Officer Corps both face recruitment and retention problems.

As we know, the Border Patrol agents guard our borders, which is a tough job. But this bill overlooks the demanding and dangerous job that Customs and Border Protection Officers perform when they inspect cargo and people entering the United States at the various Ports of Entry. Both of these jobs are an important part of efforts to protect our borders, and the people doing these jobs should be justly compensated.

The only way we can address these employment issues is by exploring all options available to this Congress and the Department through the legislative and oversight process, not simply relying on an election year gimmick of passing a bill that will not likely be acted on by the Senate nor enacted into law.

A meaningful full-step forward would be having a hearing on this bill and requesting all of the stakeholders to come and testify before our Committee on how to address the employment problems in the Customs and Border Protection Directorate.

Mr. Speaker, I will support this bill because I know this is a good step towards fully securing our country. But, we will only be making real progress when we hire enough Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection Officers and make sure both these groups are better paid and equipped.

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