I am grateful for the Border Patrol agents and CBP officers who have among the toughest jobs in our communities. Day in and day out they go to work in the harshest of conditions while remaining vigilant against innumerable threats. Recently weve seen example after example of their professionalism and generosity as they meet the tens of thousands of migrants coming to our country from Central America. Many agents have given of their personal resources, including donating toys to children who have been interdicted trying to cross the border. I will continue to do my best to support these agents and officers. I am a co-sponsor of the Border Patrol Pay Reform Act (H.R. 3463) that will give agents consistency, fairness and predictability in how they are paid. Given the stressed resources and capacity throughout CBP, I recently met with Secretary Johnson and asked him to make workplace safety a priority and to apply OSHA standards to the conditions in which agents, especially in the Rio Grande Valley, are currently working. Every time I am interviewed by the press about migrant or oversight issues, I try to include comments about the professionalism of our agents and officers. So when I point out my concerns about transparency in the administration at CBP; when I urge greater training for agents and officers; when I ask that use of force guidelines are reviewed to ensure that agent safety is preserved while finding non-lethal solutions where possible; it is not to diminish my appreciation for the amazing work that our agents and officers do. I have an oversight responsibility as your representative in Congress and I want to make sure that the interests of all stakeholders are considered and that the constitutional rights of our fellow citizens are upheld. We have to be able to discuss these difficult issues and ensure that when we spend $18 billion to secure our borders and when we ask agents and officers to put their lives on the line for the protection of this country, that we do so in the most responsible, professional way possible. Please feel free to share positive stories of agents and officers in our community, I look forward to sharing them here and with my colleagues in the Capitol.
Posted on: Wed, 11 Jun 2014 21:40:06 +0000