[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 35 (Wednesday, March 5, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H1607-H1608]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               IN MEMORY AND HONOR OF CHRIS AND BOB EGGLE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bishop of Utah). Under a previous order 
of the House, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. Tancredo) is recognized 
for 5 minutes.
  Mr. TANCREDO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce two homeland 
heroes. They are Robert Eggle and his late son, Chris.
  Chris was a brilliant young park ranger in the Organ Pipes Cactus 
National Park in Arizona when he was brutally murdered by an illegal 
alien who had crossed into the United States after committing two 
murders in Mexico. Chris was in the front lines on a battlefield we pay 
far too little attention to. He gave his life in service to the 
country, and certainly deserves the designation as homeland hero.
  But I want to introduce another homeland hero, and that is Chris's 
father, Bob, the gentleman here in this picture to my left. Mr. Eggle 
is an incredible individual with whom I had the opportunity to spend 
some time in Arizona just a couple of weeks ago. He has become an 
incredibly articulate spokesman for the cause of homeland security. He 
understands fully that that security begins with the security of our 
border.
  Mr. Eggle and several others, as well as Members of the House, 
including the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Hoekstra) and the gentleman 
from Arizona (Mr. Shadegg) endured the trip to the very spot in Organ 
Pipe Cactus National Park where his son was killed. And I say ``endured 
the trip'' because, as anyone can imagine, this was a difficult 
undertaking for anyone, especially the father of the murdered victim. 
But Mr. Eggle's stoic character was a true inspiration for all of us 
who were with him that day. He was an inspiration as we traveled to the 
spot where his son was killed. He was an inspiration as we stood and he 
led us in silent prayer for his son.
  Mr. Eggle does not, understandably, does not want his son's death to 
be forgotten by this Nation. He wants to make it an example for others. 
He wants people to understand that there are many folks on the border 
like Chris, who put themselves in harm's way every day to try to 
protect those borders. But he also recognizes that we are in sort of a 
halfhearted war on those borders because we really do not fully support 
the men and women who we send to defend them.
  Chris was not trained to deal with terrorists. Chris was not trained 
to deal with people coming across that border with AK-47s and carrying 
tons

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of drugs and all the things we know go on along that southern border. 
It is, in fact, a war zone. If anybody does not believe that, they 
should go to Cochese County and spend some time there, spend some time 
with the rangers, spend some time with Mr. Eggle.
  Mr. Eggle stated recently, ``I gave an eye for one war, now I have 
given my son in another. What is our President going to do about the 
war on our borders?'' This is an excellent question, Mr. Eggle. It is 
one that should be asked not just of the President of the United 
States, but of all the Members of this body, because we have 
essentially abandoned Mr. Eggle. We have abandoned the people who live 
along the border to the ravages of what I believe can be called nothing 
less than an invasion. Their homes are being destroyed. Their families 
are being destroyed. Their lives are being destroyed.
  Chris Eggle's life was taken. Bob Eggle lives to tell us the tale and 
to help and to ask us to remember. That is the least we can do for Mr. 
Eggle, a true homeland hero.

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