[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 88 (Friday, June 12, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1388]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     RECOGNIZING THE UNITED STATES BORDER PATROL'S 85TH ANNIVERSARY

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                        HON. GABRIELLE GIFFORDS

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 12, 2009

  Ms. GIFFORDS. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the brave men 
and women of the United States Border Patrol on the occasion of their 
agency's 85th anniversary.
  The Border Patrol is the first line of defense for our nation. When 
it was established in the early part of the last century, its only 
posts were in Detroit, Michigan, and El Paso, Texas. The first agents 
were issued a badge and a revolver but they had to provide their own 
horses and saddles. Fortunately, the federal government paid for the 
feed.
  Since its founding in 1924, the Border Patrol has grown and become a 
modern agency in every way. While some Border Patrol agents still ride 
horses, they all now use technology that their predecessors could not 
have imagined. Their tools and strategies have changed over time but 
their original mission remains the same. Each day they put on their 
uniforms and go out to protect and defend our borders.
  Representing the 8th Congressional District in Southeastern Arizona, 
I have had the privilege of witnessing first-hand the Border Patrol's 
important work. It has been a highlight of my time in Congress to meet 
the men and women of the Tucson Sector of the Border Patrol who serve 
in one of the most challenging regions in our country. While the Tucson 
Sector represents only 13 percent of our border with Mexico, it 
accounts for close to 50 percent of the Border Patrol's apprehensions 
and drug seizures.
  Under the exceptional leadership of Tucson Sector Chief Patrol Agent 
Robert Gilbert, great progress has been achieved in making our border 
more secure. Chief Gilbert has assembled an outstanding top management 
team including Deputy Chief Patrol Agent Robert Boatwright and Division 
Chiefs John Fitzpatrick and Jeanne Ray-Condon. In addition to 
implementing effective new strategies to deal with the high volume of 
drug and human smuggling, they have been responsive to my inquiries on 
behalf of constituents and they have reached out to establish 
partnerships with local residents, ranchers and business owners.
  The daily work of the Border Patrol is conducted by a force of hard 
working agents who carry out their duty with honor and distinction in 
some of the most rugged territory in the nation. I am proud of the 
relationship we have established with the Executive Board of the 
National Border Patrol Council, Local 2544, which represents the agents 
who work in the Tucson Sector. The agents on the ground are capably 
represented by Edward Tuffly, Local 2544 President, and the members of 
his Executive Board, Richard Martinez, Arturo Del Cueto, David Hull and 
Kurt Kelley. They keep me apprised of the needs and concerns of their 
members so that I can better fight for the resources that they must 
have to safely and effectively do their jobs.
  My 9,000-square mile district includes 114 miles of international 
border. The Border Patrol's Tucson Sector is ground zero for the 
trafficking of humans and drugs into our country. Each day, the agents 
stationed here confront extraordinary risks to keep us safe. They face 
armed smugglers, harsh desert terrain and weather extremes. Each day, 
they illustrate what it means to be dedicated to duty and to country. 
Border Patrol agents serve us with patriotism and commitment and, as a 
nation, we owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude.
  On behalf of the people of Arizona's 8th Congressional District, I 
extend my deepest appreciation to the men and women of the Tucson 
Sector of the Border Patrol and to their colleagues who work all across 
our borders.

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