[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 129 (Wednesday, November 15, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8664-H8665]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


PROSECUTION OF TWO U.S. BORDER PATROL AGENTS: CALLING FOR PRESIDENTIAL 
                                 ACTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Jones) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I am on the floor today to 
bring to the attention of the House a situation involving two U.S. 
border agents. These agents were found guilty in a Federal court for 
wounding a drug smuggler who brought 743 pounds of marijuana across our 
southern border into Texas. These agents never should have been 
prosecuted for their actions last year, yet they have been sentenced to 
11 and 12 years in Federal prison respectively.
  Agent Ramos served the Border Patrol for 9 years and was a former 
nominee for Border Patrol Agent of the Year. Agent Compean had 5 years 
of experience as a border agent. By attempting to apprehend a Mexican 
drug smuggler, these agents were simply doing their job to protect the 
American people.
  Mr. Speaker, today I have written the President of the United States 
to express my outrage over his indifference toward the plight of these 
two agents. Despite my repeated requests for an investigation of this 
case, and a request by a dozen Members of Congress for the President to 
pardon these agents, this administration has ignored the concerns of 
countless citizens who have decried the unjust prosecution of these two 
heroes.
  Press Secretary Tony Snow conveyed the administration's collective 
dismissal of these concerns when he labeled the question of a 
Presidential pardon for these agents as ``nonsensical.''
  With an approval rating hovering near 30 percent, it is obvious and 
evident that the citizens of our Nation have been disappointed with 
this administration.
  Mr. Speaker, I am calling on the President to listen to the concerns 
of the American people and to make it a top priority to pardon these 
two agents. These agents should have been commended for their actions, 
but instead the U.S. Attorney's Office prosecuted the agents and 
granted full immunity to the drug smuggler for his testimony against 
our agents.
  The drug smuggler received full medical care in El Paso, Texas, was 
permitted to return to Mexico and is now suing the Border Patrol for $5 
million for violating his civil rights.
  Mr. Speaker, he is not an American citizen. He is a criminal. And 
yet, Mr. Speaker, it is our two brave border agents who have been 
sentenced to serve time behind bars.
  In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to share the last paragraph of 
my letter to the President. I have mailed this letter today to the 
White House, and this is the last paragraph of the letter:
  ``Mr. President, you have an opportunity to reverse a great injustice 
committed against two agents who have given years of their lives in 
service to this Nation and who have been unjustly punished for doing 
their job to protect our homeland.
  ``On January 17 of 2007, both Agents Ramos and Compean must surrender 
themselves to Federal authorities unless action is taken to overturn 
their sentences. I strongly encourage you to listen to the concerns of 
the American people and use the power of your office to pardon these 
two agents.''
                                    Congress of the United States,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                Washington, DC, November 15, 2006.
     Hon. George W. Bush,
     President of the United States,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear President Bush: I am writing to express my deep 
     disappointment with your Administration's demonstrated 
     indifference toward the case of United States Border Patrol 
     Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean. On October 
     19th, the agents were convicted and sentenced to 11 and 12 
     years in federal prison respectively for firing shots at a 
     Mexican drug smuggler who brought 743 pounds of marijuana 
     across the U.S. border last year. The two agents were 
     prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's office and the smuggler was 
     granted full immunity to testify against the agents.
       In a letter to Press Secretary Tony Snow, I conveyed my 
     extreme disappointment with his responses to questions 
     regarding the agents' case. At press briefings, Mr. Snow 
     labeled a question concerning a presidential pardon for 
     agents Ramos and Compean ``nonsensical,'' and later announced 
     the White House's intention to ``wait and see'' what a 
     congressional hearing on their case produces.
       Despite my repeated requests for an investigation of this 
     case and a request by a dozen members of Congress for you to 
     pardon the agents, your Administration has collectively 
     dismissed these requests and the petitions of countless 
     citizens throughout the country who have decried the unjust 
     prosecution of these two heroes. With an approval rating 
     hovering near thirty percent, it is obvious and evident that 
     the citizens of our nation have been disappointed with your 
     Administration--and I believe your inaction on this issue is 
     a key reason why.
       Mr. President, you have an opportunity to reverse a great 
     injustice committed against

[[Page H8665]]

     two agents who have given years of their life in service to 
     this nation, and who have been unjustly punished for doing 
     their job to protect our homeland. On January 17th, 2007, 
     both agents Ramos and Compean must surrender themselves to 
     federal authorities unless action is taken to overturn their 
     sentences. I strongly encourage you to listen to the concerns 
     of the American people and use the power of your office to 
     pardon these two agents.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Walter B. Jones,
     Member of Congress.
                                  ____

                                    Congress of the United States,


                                     House of Representatives,

                                 Washington, DC, October 31, 2006.
     Press Secretary Tony Snow,
     The White House,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Mr. Snow: I am extremely disappointed by your 
     responses last week to questions regarding the possibility of 
     a presidential pardon for United States Border Patrol Agents 
     Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean. On October 19th, the 
     agents were convicted and sentenced to 11 and 12 years in 
     federal prison respectively for firing shots at a Mexican 
     drug smuggler who brought 743 pounds of marijuana across the 
     U.S. border last year. The two agents were prosecuted by the 
     U.S. Attorney's office and the smuggler was granted full 
     immunity to testify against the agents.
       At press briefings, you labeled a question concerning a 
     presidential pardon for the two agents ``nonsensical,'' and 
     later announced the White House's intention to ``wait and 
     see'' what a November 13th congressional hearing on their 
     case produces.
       Unfortunately, your comments reinforced the perception that 
     the Administration is indifferent toward the agents' case. 
     Despite my repeated requests for an investigation of this 
     case and, most recently, a request by a dozen members of 
     Congress for the President to pardon the agents, the 
     Administration has collectively dismissed the concerns of 
     elected members of Congress and countless citizens throughout 
     the country. Your comments, unfortunately, came across as a 
     continuation of that collective dismissal.
       While our Border Patrol is tasked with the difficult and 
     dangerous mission of securing America against illegal 
     immigrants, drugs, counterfeit goods, and even terrorists--it 
     is troubling that the Administration has persistently ignored 
     opportunities to pursue justice for two agents who have been 
     sentenced to prison for doing their job to protect our 
     homeland. It is unconscionable that the Administration would 
     not want justice to prevail for two heroes who have dutifully 
     served this nation on the front lines in the fight against 
     terrorist infiltration and narcotics trafficking on our 
     southern border.
       I strongly encourage you to do everything in your power to 
     convince the Administration to investigate the Justice 
     Department's overzealous and unjust prosecution of this case, 
     and to pardon these two agents.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Walter B. Jones,
                                               Member of Congress.

  Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would hope that the American people would 
join behind a number of us in this Congress, both Republican and 
Democrat, and contact the White House and say to the President, for 
goodness sakes, pardon these two border agents who have done nothing 
more than try to protect this country.
  God bless these two agents and their families, and may God continue 
to bless America.

                          ____________________