OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Department Of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2008

Floor Speech

Date: June 12, 2007
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Government Budget and Spending


DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2008 -- (House of Representatives - June 12, 2007)

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. CUELLAR. I want to thank, Mr. Chairman, Chairman David Price and Ranking Member Harold Rogers for the leadership and bipartisan work that they have done in this bill.

I rise in support of this Homeland Security appropriations bill because I am a Member who represents part of the U.S.-Mexico border and this is strong on homeland security.

One of the things I would like to emphasize is that it allows input from the local communities. I think before a fence is put, that I think it's very, very important that we get the input of the local county officials, city officials, the business sector before any sort of fence is put in there.

The second part of it is we're doing a lot to help Border Patrol, but I think it's also important to provide incentives for customs officers; and by giving them law enforcement officer status, that will improve the Department of Homeland Security to recruit and retain those officers.

The last point is the criminal alien program. By providing extra funding, the $50 million to make sure that we contact the local jails, this is important to make sure that we deport anybody who is in one of the local jails and move them out.

Mr. Chairman, I thank you for the leadership you have provided.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT


Source
arrow_upward