Beto O'Rourke

In learning from SBInet and looking forward to what we are doing here with the Arizona Border Surveillance Technology Plan, one of the pieces that was missing before I think were performance metrics that we would be able to look at and…

I want to know to answer my colleague from South Carolina's question, in 2 years, in 5 years, in 10 years, when we are looking back at the $600 million plus that we have spent, how do we know that it was a success?

Five hundred million dollars to $700 million for deployment and what is O&M cost over 10 years?

I will do my part as a Member of Congress, to make sure that we have those resources there.

I think the dominant perspective and view when it comes to our border, and certainly our border with Mexico, is to see that as a threat and a security situation to be locked down.

El Paso, Texas, the city I have the good fortune to live in and represent, is the safest city in America today, 4 years in a row actually, bordering on Ciudad Juarez.

We have doubled the size of the Border Patrol in the last 10 years.

We need greater oversight and accountability given the missions and the opportunities there at the border.

I also join him in urging you to support Mr. Chaffetz's bill to make sure that we have some fairness and predictability when it comes to pay for the members of the Border Patrol.

I appreciate the fact that you are going to release the CBP's Use of Force Policy.

We are spending $18 billion a year right now, unprecedented levels of spending.

We have contractors get involved in defining how we are going to do things

I appreciate the efforts to improve that through faster crossing times, implementing technologies that will allow for that.

I want to commend you for your focus on issues of accountability, especially when it comes to purchasing and contracting within DHS.

More of that could be spent on our human resources, on the talent that we have there, recruiting and retaining.

When we have the sequester, when we have Government shutdowns, we are not allocating resources wisely.

What are the consequences when we miss our budget targets?

How much will it cost us when we are done?

So if I could just summarize it to a one-word answer, it would be, no, we are not suffering in other areas for prioritizing the disability claims and the other issues that you raised?

The fact that we are hearing from all the folks who are in the front lines on these issues... is greatly appreciated.

I would appeal to you to use something like the Faster Filing Act to allow veterans, VSOs to file a claim in whichever way they think is best.

I hope that it continues to move in that direction.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I do not like the new rule making from the VBA and I do not like this forcing veterans and VSOs to use these standardized forms.

If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority.