[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21785]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      THE SECURE FENCE ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. BETTY McCOLLUM

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 29, 2006

  Ms. McCOLLUM of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 
6061. This bill will not improve U.S. national security and will 
clearly not provide for meaningful immigration reform.
  I voted against the construction of a fence spanning our entire 
southern border in December, when the House unfortunately passed H.R. 
4437, the Border Security Act of 2005. It is disappointing that the 
Republican leadership has chosen to spend the time debating a provision 
that has already passed the House, rather than go to conference and 
pass comprehensive immigration reform that will protect American 
workers and secure our borders. This House should be addressing issues 
like raising the minimum wage, providing health care and quality 
education to every child in America, and ensuring that our State and 
local law enforcement agencies have the resources they need to keep our 
streets safe. Not re-hashing a border fence provision that has already 
been voted on in the last 12 months.
  Once again, I strongly believe that Congress needs to work to secure 
our borders and ensure the safety of our citizens. However, this bill 
is inadequate and clearly will not begin to address the complicated 
issues regarding immigration reform. Even the small effort authorized 
in this bill--a 700-mile fence along our southern border with Mexico--
is not fully funded. Nor does this legislation contain the resources 
necessary to increase the number of border security agents. This is 
nothing other than an election year ploy to use a serious issue that 
affects workers, immigrants, and our communities as a scare tactic.
  America deserves immigration reform that will work. The Republicans 
have had months to appoint a conference committee and work out the 
differences between the President's approach and the bills put forward 
by the House and Senate. Clearly, the majority is not truly interested 
in solving this problem.
  I hope my colleagues will oppose this bill and will join me in urging 
Republicans to get serious about this issue and to focus more on the 
security of this country then the security of their jobs.

                          ____________________