[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 6103-6104]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           FORMER U.S. 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, today is the 55th day of 
an injustice. This injustice began on January 17 of 2007 when two U.S. 
Border Patrol agents entered Federal prison.
  Agents Ramos and Compean were convicted last spring for shooting a 
Mexican drug smuggler who brought 743 pounds of marijuana across our 
border into Texas.
  These two agents were doing their job to protect the American people. 
They never should have been sent to prison. There are legitimate legal 
questions about how this prosecution was initiated and about how the 
prosecutors proceeded in this case.
  To prosecute the agents, the U.S. Attorney's Office granted immunity 
to a known drug smuggler. Homeland Security officials promised Members 
of Congress certain information about this case, but they could not 
provide the information. Reports have also indicated

[[Page 6104]]

that the prosecutors may have withheld crucial evidence from the 
defense. The Drug Enforcement Agency reports revealed that the Mexican 
drug smuggler brought a second load of marijuana, 752 pounds, into the 
United States. But this information was kept from the jury and the 
public.
  Madam Speaker, over the past 6 months, dozens of Members of Congress 
have asked President Bush to listen to the American people and pardon 
these agents.
  I want the two agents and their families to know that we have not 
forgotten them and we will not forget them. Members of Congress will 
come to the floor to defend these agents, and we will continue to do so 
until they are pardoned.
  On February 7, 2007, Senator Diane Feinstein wrote Judiciary Chairman 
Patrick Leahy to request a committee investigation of this case. She 
wrote, and I quote the Senator:
  ``I strongly believe that the sentences in this case are too extreme 
given the criminal nature of the smuggler and his possession of large 
quantities of drugs and given the fact that he physically resisted at 
least one attempt by Agents Ramos and Compean to bring him into 
custody.
  ``In addition, to my knowledge, neither of the agents had prior 
convictions or any other aggravating circumstances to warrant 
particularly harsh treatment under the law. Yet these men were given 
sentences that some individuals who are convicted of murder would not 
receive.''
  Madam Speaker, this is not a Republican or a Democratic issue, but it 
is an issue of fairness and justice. Chairman Leahy has already 
approved Senate hearings in this case. On February 23, 2007, I sent a 
letter to House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers asking for hearings on 
this case on the House side. I hope Congress will soon hold these 
hearings because it is time for justice to prevail over an injustice.
  Madam Speaker, before closing, I want to say to the White House and 
to the President, please listen to the American people. Please assure 
the American people that two agents who have done their best to help 
protect America will not be forgotten in prison, because they have no 
business being in prison. They should receive justice, not injustice.

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