Brian Bilbray: “I ask my colleagues to think, instead of feel. I know they are worried about a negative message being sent. But let me…”

“I ask my colleagues to think, instead of feel. I know they are worried about a negative message being sent. But let me say to my colleague that Mexico places their troops along the border because they recognize that the battle against drugs is going to have to be fought on the border. The concept of political correctness, of what might look bad is unimportant to Mexico. They know how desperate the situation is. They put their troops where the problem exists. We send our troops all over the world. We are ready to send another 7,000 to Kosovo to protect other neighborhoods and other borders. What about the American neighborhoods that are being poisoned by drugs today? Is it too much to ask that the American taxpayer who pays for these troops, be allowed to be protected from drugs by these troops? Madam Chairman, I want to point out, almost every State along the border has committed its National Guard to helping along the border at addressing this crisis. Is it too much to say, with good training and appropriate supervision, that the United States Federal Government will make its contribution, too, in every way possible? Please, common sense says we should be doing as much for our American citizens as we are doing for people all over the world.”