[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 194 (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H16797]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




UNJUST PROSECUTION AND APPEAL OF FORMER BORDER PATROL AGENTS RAMOS AND 
                                COMPEAN

  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. Madam Speaker, it has been 336 days 
since two United States Border Patrol agents entered Federal prison. 
Agents Ramos and Compean were convicted in March of 2006 for shooting a 
Mexican drug smuggler who brought 743 pounds of marijuana across our 
border into Texas. They're serving 11 and 12 years in prison.
  Earlier this month, the White House released its list of 29 pardons 
which are traditionally granted around Christmastime. Among the list of 
pardons were those convicted of conspiring to import marijuana, 
possessing a stolen motor vehicle and distributing cocaine.
  Madam Speaker, there are 7 days until Christmas, yet Agents Ramos and 
Compean, who were doing their duty to protect the American people from 
an illegal alien drug smuggler, are still in Federal prison, away from 
their families and loved ones.
  There is bipartisan agreement among Members of Congress that the 
overzealous prosecution of these agents and their excessive prison 
sentence is a tremendous miscarriage of justice. In recent days, I was 
pleased to join Congressman Ed Royce and other House colleagues in 
writing the President to urge him to ensure that Agents Ramos and 
Compean are released from jail by Christmas. I was also happy to join 
Congressman Bill Delahunt and others in cosponsoring a resolution 
calling on the President to commute the agents' sentences to time 
already served.
  A ruling on this case from the 5th United States Circuit Court of 
Appeals in New Orleans is expected within weeks. Nothing can erase the 
suffering these agents and their families have undergone and the months 
they have spent in prison in solitary confinement away from their 
families; however, a judgment in favor of Ramos and Compean in this 
appeal would be an important victory and the first act of justice these 
agents have seen since their arrest.
  During the appeal hearing, one of the three judges on this case, 
Judge E. Grady Jolly, said, ``It does seem to me that the government 
overreacted here. For some reason, this got way out of hand.''
  Madam Speaker, in the eyes of many Americans, the prosecution of 
these border agents was not justified. An unbiased review of this case 
by Attorney General Mukasey, a hearing by the House Judiciary Committee 
and a Presidential pardon for these agents are all steps that can and 
should be taken to rectify this gross miscarriage of justice.
  Through the efforts of this Congress and the American people, I am 
hopeful that justice will soon prevail for Ramos and Compean, that the 
nightmare of their imprisonment will end, and they will soon return 
home to their families and those they long to be with.
  Madam Speaker, before I close, I want to ensure the families of Ramos 
and Compean that those of us in Congress will not forget this injustice 
until these men are released.
  With that, Madam Speaker, I ask God to bless our men and women in 
uniform and their families, and ask God to continue to bless America.

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