[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 19, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO TROOPER JAMES SAUNDERS

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. GEORGE R. NETHERCUTT, JR.

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 19, 1999

  Mr. NETHERCUTT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember Washington 
State Patrol Trooper James Saunders, who was killed in the line of duty 
on October 7th while making a routine traffic stop in Pasco, 
Washington. The suspect in this case is a violent illegal alien who has 
a long criminal record.
  Trooper Saunders leaves behind a small child and a wife expecting a 
second child. No words can express the sorrow they feel right now. I 
pray that God will become their strength as they begin the healing 
process.
  As facts emerge in this case, the question we must ask ourselves is 
how can we stop tragedies like this. The suspect in the case had been 
deported three times by the U.S. Border Patrol in the past three years 
and this summer he was held in jail in Pasco awaiting a November trial 
on a cocaine charge. Instead of remaining in jail until trial, he was 
released on bond. There has been a lot of finger pointing over who is 
to blame for not placing the suspect on immigration detention, which is 
the standard procedure for violent criminal aliens, and while this 
should be investigated, it will not bring back Trooper Saunders. It is 
clear that this case shows how bureaucratic mistakes aren't just 
bureaucratic when crimes are committed and lives are lost. Our region 
is sensitive to this problem. An Omak police officer was killed in the 
line of duty just two years ago by a suspect who was an illegal alien.
  Mr. Speaker, we must learn from this tragedy to prevent future acts 
of violence. I believe this case highlights three problems that need to 
be addressed.
  First, legal immigration and border enforcement are two very separate 
functions of the Federal Government. Under our current system, the 
Border Patrol reports to the Immigration and Naturalization Service. 
Cooperation between INS and Border Patrol needs improvement. I support 
the approach offered by Chairman Harold Rogers to reorganize the INS 
into two different agencies within the Department of Justice: 
immigration services and immigration enforcement (or border patrol). 
This reorganization will empower both divisions to successfully fulfill 
their respective missions. Bureaucratic overlap and miscommunication 
should not be the cause of illegal aliens having easy access to our 
country.
  Second, the Border Patrol needs more agents. Unfortunately, the 
Clinton Administration has not advocated for more resources and 
personnel for this department. There was bipartisan criticism earlier 
this year when President Clinton did not request funding for an 
increase of 1,000 Border Patrol agents for fiscal year 2000. Border 
communities are significantly impacted by this short-sighted decision. 
My home state of Washington recently had 6 agents detailed to the 
Arizona border because they need more agents to interdict illegal 
aliens and illegal drugs there. Overall, 204 Western region agents have 
been detailed to the Arizona border at a cost of $1.8 million per 
month. Arizona may need more agents, but that should not come at the 
expense of other regions. If we had an increase in the total number of 
agents, there would be no need to detail agents elsewhere. Northern 
Border Patrol sectors should be given an increase in Border Patrol 
personnel. This fact is important because the Spokane sector, which is 
located in my District needs, 15 agents and 2 support personnel just to 
get to ``critical operation level.'' The Spokane sector has 350 miles 
to cover and under the current staffing level they are only able to 
monitor 6 percent of the border on a regular basis. The loss of 6 
agents will have an impact not just in border monitoring, but in 
criminal detention. Overstretched staff will be less able to visit 
local jails to ensure criminal aliens are not released back into the 
streets to commit more crimes, which apparently is part of the problem 
involving the situation that led to the shooting death of Trooper 
Saunders.

  Our American border with Canada and our northern airports need 
additional agents as well. Eastern Washington streets are facing a 
significant increase in methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana use. 
Reports indicate that as America's southern border is reinforced, 
foreign drug producers are increasingly using Canada as a smuggling 
gateway between foreign drug producers and the United States. The 
Border Patrol recently interdicted the largest seizure of 
methamphetamine precursors in the history of our region. I am concerned 
that detailing of agents to the southern border will result in more 
drugs coming across our northern border.
  Finally, the shooting of Trooper Saunders is another example of how 
illegal immigration and the drug trade are becoming more violent and 
police officers are being threatened. 104 law enforcement officers have 
been killed in the line of duty this year, 4 in the last two weeks, and 
many of these deaths can be attributed to the drug trade and illegal 
immigration. Law enforcement officials in my district tell me that 
street officers are finding that drug dealers and illegal aliens are 
more heavily armed and willing to use violence to evade detection and 
apprehension. Many veteran officers are choosing to retire because the 
streets have become too violent. This Congress has made great strides 
to provide more resources for law enforcement departments, but we 
should do more. The Bulletproof Protection Act signed into law last 
year has helped provide small and rural departments with lifesaving 
vests for their officers. Vests should be standard equipment for every 
police officer, but unfortunately many departments do not have the 
resources to provide them. The Local Law Enforcement Block Grant has 
also given departments the ability to better tailor their programs 
according to the needs of their community rather than to an arbitrary 
Department of Justice grant requirement.
  Mr. Speaker, we can and should do more to prevent violence against 
police officers. I hope the death of Trooper Saunders will be met with 
action and efforts to secure our borders and protect our law 
enforcement services.

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