Washington, D.C.—Representative Edward J. Markey a senior Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee released the following statement today regarding President Bush’s proposal to use National Guard troops to along the U.S. border.

“We don’t send police to do the job of firefighters, and we shouldn’t send National Guardsmen to do the job of the Border patrol,”  said Rep. Markey.

“When it comes to finding money to give tax breaks to Big Oil and America’s richest individuals, the President’s generosity is overflowing. But when it comes to finding the money to secure our borders or our ports, the President can’t seem to find the resources to get it done. Instead of providing the funds needed to provide adequate resources to secure the borders, the President wants to redeploy the already overextended National Guard. Instead of ensuring that all cargo containers are scanned for radiation and other dangerous materials before they are loaded onto boats headed to our shores, the President instead wants to rely on a rubber-stamp paperwork program. If the President were serious about homeland security, he’d put his money where his mouth is.”

The 9/11 Commission called for various key implementations to better secure our borders; among these were to increase over the next ten years:

· 2,000 border agents annually

· 800 additional ICE immigration investigators

· 8,000 additional detention beds annually

In all three of these areas, the administration has short changed the DHS and Border Patrol agents. 

In addition, a Republican Congress has also supported the administration’s failures.  In the immigration bill that passed the House earlier this year (H.R. 4312), Republicans stripped provisions out of the bill that would have authorized sums necessary to increase full-time active duty patrol agents by at least 2,000 agents per year from FY 2007- 2010.  In addition, the bill also dropped a provision that would have authorized funding necessary for an increase of 8,000 detention beds/year from 2007 through 2010.

Nearly 5 years after 9/11, it is hard to believe that the Administration still has not implemented solutions to secure the border.  And to cover for their mistakes, the President, instead of addressing the heart of the matter, plans to redeploy the National Guard to do a job that the Border Patrol can do if they are properly funded and equipped.  This policy is flawed— we don’t send police to do the job of firefighters, and we shouldn’t send National Guardsmen to do the job of the Border patrol. It is the duty of Border Patrol agents to ensure that our borders are safe and it is Congress’ duty to fund and provide support and resources for their efforts.”