Tom Price: “our brave men and women in the military are accompanied by other brave men and women who work hard to protect us. They…”

“our brave men and women in the military are accompanied by other brave men and women who work hard to protect us. They are our border agents who guard our international boundaries, and they are now often serving in what amounts to a war zone. In the fiscal year just ended, over 650 border agents reported being assaulted, the highest number since they began tracking these incidents in the 1990s. Compare that to last year's total of 354, and you have to wonder just how secure our borders are. Even with sensors and cameras and fences, that is not enough. Incidents have increased from San Diego to Nogales, Arizona to the banks of the Rio Grande in Texas. It is clear we are not getting the job done, and our efforts need to be strengthened. If our agents have to dodge bullets, then who is controlling our borders? Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff said last week that when it comes to illegal immigration, time is not on our side. Mr. Speaker, Congress should take action now to secure our borders. Our Nation is not secure until our borders are secure. That is the necessary and first step to any immigration reform. H.R. 3693 is legislation that America needs now. ____________________”