[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 10, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      RECOGNIZING DAVID V. AGUILAR

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HENRY CUELLAR

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 10, 2013

  Mr. CUELLAR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. David V. 
Aguilar for his retirement from his position as Deputy Commissioner 
with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Mr. Aguilar has dedicated 
his service leading the agency in protecting our nation's borders and 
its communities.
  Mr. Aguilar joined the Border Patrol in June 1978 at Laredo, Texas, 
where he held positions of Assistant Patrol Agent in Charge and Patrol 
Agent in Charge.
  From 1988 to August 1996, Mr. Aguilar served as Patrol Agent in 
Charge of three Border Patrol Stations in Texas (Dallas, Rio Grande 
Valley and Brownsville). Under his command, the Dallas and Brownsville 
stations were awarded the Commissioner's Award for Group Achievement.
  From August 1996 to November 1999, Mr. Aguilar served as Assistant 
Regional Director for the Border Patrol in the central region of the 
former Immigration and Naturalization Service. As such, Mr. Aguilar was 
the principal advisor to the Regional Director, where he managed, 
directed and guided the regional program.
  Mr. Aguilar was subsequently appointed as Chief Patrol Agent of the 
Tucson Sector. As Tucson Sector Chief, he had more than 2,000 agents 
and 200 support personnel under his command. Mr. Aguilar had oversight 
of eight geographically dispersed Border Patrol stations along 261 
miles of the Arizona/Mexico border. In 2003, the Tucson sector earned 
the CBP Commissioner's anti-terrorism award for achievements under 
Operation Desert Safeguard, an operation planned, designed and 
implemented in the high-risk areas of the Tucson sector.
  In March 2004, the Department of Homeland Security designated Mr. 
Aguilar as the Border and Transportation Security Integrator for the 
execution of the Arizona Border Control Initiative. In 2004, Mr. 
Aguilar was also elected as the President of the Southern Arizona 
Federal Executive Association.
  In July 2004, Mr. Aguilar was named National Chief of the Border 
Patrol, assuming the position as the nation's highest-ranking Border 
Patrol agent. With expertise and knowledge gained from more than 31 
years of service with the Border Patrol, Mr. Aguilar directed the 
enforcement efforts of more than 20,000 agents nationwide.
  In April 2010, Mr. Aguilar was appointed Deputy Commissioner of U.S. 
Customs and Border Protection. From December 2011 to August 2012, Mr. 
Aguilar served as acting Commissioner, CBP's highest-ranking official, 
leading the agency in border security, while fostering our Nation's 
economic security through lawful international trade and travel. Mr. 
Aguilar led a workforce of 60,000, including 43,000 uniformed law 
enforcement officers.
  Mr. Aguilar holds an associate degree in accounting from the Laredo 
Community College, and attended Laredo State University and University 
of Texas at Arlington. He is a Senior Executive Fellow of the John F. 
Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Mr. Aguilar is the 
recipient of the 2005 President's Meritorious Excellence Award and in 
2008 was a recipient of the Presidential Rank Award.
  Mr. Speaker, I am honored and privileged to have the opportunity to 
pay tribute to Mr. Aguilar for his outstanding service in protecting 
our communities and his extraordinary commitment to our country. He has 
truly contributed to this nation in his efforts to protect our borders.

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