DUNCAN HUNTER Champion of Property Rights and Real Free Trade!

Those of us who have been involved in property rights battles appreciated Helen Chenoweth-Hage. What a great loss to all of us due to her untimely fatal accident last year. Talk about your dream ticket for the presidential race.

"We are very particular about our conservatives.We like principles and backbone. We elected Helen Chenoweth/Hage and Bill Sali. Helen loved Duncan Hunter and spoke of him often, that is why I loved him before he ever decided to run."

Helen and Duncan had a great appreciation for each other and accomplished much while they were both in congress, especially protecting private property rights.

It was announced this week that the Mt. Soledad Cross, which the ACLU sued to have removed, will in fact remain per the Supreme Court, largely due to the actions of Duncan Hunter.

In a field hearing held by COMMITTEE ON RESOURCES on the Endangered Species act in 1999 in Hemmet, California, Chenoweth and Hunter were in the forefront to protect the average American citizen property owner. They questioned, with little mercy, the bureaucrats who through archaic regulations and unnecessary paperwork were thwarting use of private land by it's legitimate owners. Hunter's comments speak for themselves.

Mr. HUNTER: I think that shows some of the misguided policies, and, Mr. Chairman, I think this falls on our back as well as those of the Administrators. In this effort that is to protect the environment and the perversion that I think we have made of some of the regulations, we have actually damaged the environment. We have massive traffic jams that are a result of people not being able to afford homes in the areas where they work. One reason they cannot afford homes is because we are protecting their environment in the communities where they work. So we have them put out tons of smog on the freeway to get 60 miles away where they can afford a home. So I think that working America has a real stake in seeing to it that we pull back regulation, make it more reasonable and make it more applicable to folks like the gentleman who was in here, Mr. Turecek. I do not know if you saw him, but average people that have pieces of land that they want to develop, to give them a fighting chance at it. Mr. Kading, I appreciate all of the witnesses, but I especially appreciate you being here and laying out the perspective of a working man."

Recently, Hunter has stated this concerning property rights and the Kelo property rights/eminent domain decision by the Supreme Court:

"I am deeply concerned with the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision greatly broadening local government’s use of eminent domain in Kelo vs. New London and believe it is important that Congress protect the property rights of private landowners and curb the government from excessive regulatory takings. It is for this reason that I voted in favor of expressing the grave disapproval of the House of Representatives regarding the majority opinion in the Kelo case.

Additionally, I cosponsored H.R. 3268 , the Eminent Domain Tax Relief Act of 2005, which abolished the capital gains tax on private property taken by the government through eminent domain. I also voted in favor of a legislative amendment offered to H.R. 3058, the FY2006 Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, the Judiciary, the District of Columbia, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, prohibiting federal funding from being used to improve or construct infrastructure support on lands acquired through the use of eminent domain of private property for private development."

Hunter was awarded the American Farm Bureau Federation Friend of Farm Bureau award for the 105th Congress. The "Friend of Farm Bureau" is given each session of Congress to those members of Congress who were nominated by their respective state Farm Bureau and approved by the American Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors.

Helen and Duncan worked on other projects such as controlling trade agreements like Nafta and getting out of the World Trade Organization.

Afta NAFTA - "GOP sponsors of the NAFTA Accountability Act in the 104th Congress included such high-profile conservatives as Duncan Hunter, Zach Wamp, Helen Chenoweth, and Gerald Solomon. In a speech before Congress on March 12, 1996, Hunter claimed that between one and five million jobs had been lost to corporate downsizing over the past three years. "We seem to be giving our own country away" through NAFTA, GATT, the World Bank, and foreign adventurism, he said: "billions and billions to other countries while our own people head for the unemployment office or have to settle for jobs in fast-food restaurants."

From March 27, 2000: Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) has managed to win seven co-sponsors so far for a resolution that he introduced earlier this month calling on the United States to withdraw from the World Trade Organization. Responding to the congressman's call to co-sponsor the measure, issued in a letter March 10, have been Reps. Helen Chenoweth (R-Idaho), Duncan L. Hunter (R-Calif.)........

This morning we read an article about Diane Alden, who has been an important journalist in the property rights battle and conservatism in general.

The bio on Adlen states, " Diane's heroes include Ronald Reagan, Pope John Paul II, Joan of Arc, St. Padre Pio, Lou Dobbs, the Minutemen, Phyllis Schlafly, Helen Chenoweth-Hage, Barbara Cubin, George Putnam, Marc Bernier, Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, Jeff Sessions, Mark Kirkorian, Frank Gaffney, Steve Farrell, Peter Brimelow, William Hawkins, her dad Neil Alden, as well as the unsung heroes who have blogged and supported real conservatism and American interests as opposed to the partisan or corporate variety. Most particularly her heroes include the men and women of the Armed Forces of the United States who lay it on the line every single day." [snip]

arthurus asked: "What is his attitude on illegal immigration and amnesty?"

Consistent.Hunter's been one of the few who have actually gotten legislation passed. This is part of his legislative immigration record, the rest is at the link. He does more than talk about the problem.

http://www.house.gov/hunter/border1.html

October 26, 2006: The Secure Fence Act is signed into law by President Bush. Click here to read the press release.

September 14, 2006: The Secure Fence Act passes the House by a vote of 283 to 138. As a coauthor of the bill, Congressman Hunter supports and applauds its passage.

September 13, 2006: Congressman Hunter's amendment to H.R. 4437, extending the San Diego Border Fence across portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas, is incorporated into H.R. 6061, the Secure Fence Act (King-NY).

March 1, 2006: Congressman Hunter coauthors the Border Tunnel Prevention Act, legislation criminalizing the construction and use of border tunnels to illegally enter the United States. Click here to read the press release.

December 15, 2005: Congressman Hunter successfully adds an amendment to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Alien Control Act of 2005, mandating that 698 miles of border fencing be erected in five strategic locations along our nation's Southern border with Mexico. While the Hunter Amendment passed the House by a vote of 260-159, efforts to reconcile H.R. 4437 with its Senate counterpart were unsuccessful.

October 6, 2005: House passes H.R. 2360, the FY 2006 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, which appropriates $35 million for completion of the San Diego Border Fence.

September, 14, 2005: Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff announces that he will exercise the authority granted to him under the REAL ID Act and require the completion of the San Diego Border Fence.

February 7, 2005: House passes H.R. 418, which grants Secretary of Homeland Security the ability to waive all laws necessary for the construction of the border fence. The Farr Amendment to strip the language was rejected by a vote of 179 to 243.

October 28, 2004: House passes the Ose-Hunter Amendment to H.R. 10, the 9-11 Recommendations Implementation Act. The Amendment grants Secretary of Homeland Security broad waiver authority to expedite construction of the San Diego border fence. The vote passes the House by 256 to 160.

February 2004 to October 2004: Customs and Border Protection staff conduct over 14 meetings/conferences with the California Coastal Commission to find a mutually agreeable solution. No solution found.

February 2, 2004: California Coastal Commission denies U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection's application for a consistency determination (CD-63-03) pertaining to the 3.5 miles of secondary and tertiary fencing from the Pacific Ocean to the International Wastewater Treatment Plant.

July 1, 2003: Fish and Wildlife Service issues their biological opinion for the construction of the final 3.5 miles of the border fence from the Pacific Ocean to Goat Canyon.

July 25, 2002: Congressman Hunter successfully offeres an amendment to H.R. 5005, the Homeland Security Act, stipulating that it was the sense of Congress that the San Diego border fence project is a priority of the new department.

May 23, 2002: The U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service announces that the following assets would be deployed in the El Centro Border Sector and along the Southwest border:

* two specially equipped hovercraft for the All-America Canal;
* deployment of newly formed horse patrol unit for operation in rough territory;
* 10 additional Border Patrol Search, Trauma, and Rescue agents, bringing total to 30 agents deployed in sector;
* five additional helicopters and eight new pilots across the Southwest, bringing total to 23;
* expanding the testing of an air-powered pepper ball launcher system in both El Centro and Yuma (first tested in San Diego Sector and used to respond to violent situations avoiding deadly force);
* In Yuma Sector, six "rescue beacon" have been installed which sends a electronic distress signal to the Sector's communications center when button is pushed.

November 26, 2001: Congressman Hunter writes a letter to James Ziglar, Commissioner of the Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS), to stress the importance of completion of the border fence in San Diego and that the INS investigate the construction of a similar fence along the All-American Canal.

July 19, 2001: Congressman Hunter votes in favor of legislation that provides $66 million for the hiring of 570 additional Border Patrol agents nationwide. This increase fulfills a requirement Congressman Hunter included in the 1996 Immigration Bill which authorized the hiring of 1,000 new agents annually over a period of five years. The legislation also provides $6 million for the U.S. Border Patrol Station in El Centro and $3 million for the continued construction of a multi-barrier fencing project in San Diego County.

October 11, 2000: Congressman Hunter includes $5 million in H.R. 4205, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001, for the Southwest Border Fence Project, which constructs fences and road-building projects to impede continued drug-smuggling along the U.S. border region.

June 27, 2000: Congressman Hunter votes in favor of H.R. 4690, the FY 2001 Commerce, Justice, State, Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which provides funding for 430 additional Border Patrol agents nationwide. The legislation also provides funding for several INS construction projects in San Diego and Imperial Counties:

* $3.3 million for the continued construction of a multi-barrier fencing project in San Diego County;
* $3.3 million for the San Diego Border Patrol Station;
* $307,000 for the El Cajon Border Patrol Station;
* $4 million for the El Centro Border Patrol Station;
* $300,000 for the El Centro Detention and Deportation Project.

October 13, 1999: Congressman Hunter includes $4 million in H.R. 2561, the FY 2000 Defense Appropriations Act, for the Southwest Border Fence Project.

May 12, 1999: The Clinton-Gore Administration revealed that, despite a congressional mandate and the funding to hire 1,000 additional Border Patrol agents for fiscal year 1999, only 200 will actually be hired. Congressman Hunter is joined by Reps. Silvestre Reyes (D-TX), Henry Bonilla (R-TX) and Lamar Smith (R-TX) as well as Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Phil Gramm (R-TX) at a news conference to announce they will send a letter to the President. Click here to read the press release. Of the 1,000 agents that were supposed to be deployed, 78 were to be stationed at the El Centro Sector of Imperial County --- now the sector may not receive any. The administration does not plan to deploy new agents in San Diego County.

The letter, signed by more than 50 Democrat and Republican Members of Congress, expressed "deep disappointment at the continuing lack of compliance with the congressional mandate to increase the Border Patrol by 1,000 agents per year. Meanwhile, cross-border drug smuggling and alien smuggling continue to cost uncounted lives and damages each year, and terrorists may enter the United States at any time. Additional Border Patrol agents are needed to achieve control in California and Texas, to stop the emerging crisis in Arizona and New Mexico, to combat smuggling along the Florida and Gulf coasts, and to shore up the severely undermanned northern border from New England and New York through the Midwest to Washington state. All this territory is presently covered by only 8,000 Border Patrol agents, a force less than half the size of the Chicago Police Department.

"Experts within your own administration, such as drug czar Barry McCaffrey, and in
academia estimate that at least 20,000 Border Patrol agents are needed to control drug smuggling, alien smuggling, and terrorism. Yet there is no indication that your border strategy recognizes the emergency situation caused by low Border Patrol recruitment and high attrition or is animated by any sense of urgency. The past three months have seen significant deterioration, not improvement, in border security."

February 17, 1999: Despite record apprehension levels and many months of Congressman Hunter calling for hundreds of new Border Patrol agents for Imperial County, the INS announces it will only send 78 agents to the area. There are now approximately 400 Border Patrol agents in Imperial County. As Congressman Hunter has stressed to the INS, the County is second in total apprehensions of illegal immigrants but second to last in border enforcement resources.

February 1, 1999: President Clinton’s $1.77 trillion budget released today proposes hiring no new Border Patrol agents next year. Despite a funding level of $4.2 billion in Fiscal Year 2000 for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) alone, the President’s budget ignores a Congressional mandate for 1,000 new agents next year. Legislation authored by Congressman Hunter in 1996 funded 1,000 new Border Patrol agents per year through the year 2001. “We need to be doing all we can to stop drug smuggling and illegal immigration,” said Hunter. “Now is not the time to disarm.”

November 24, 1998: At a news conference in Holtville, Congressman Hunter called on the National Guard and the Immigration and INS to direct additional manpower, infrastructure and equipment to the border region of Imperial County.

The Congressman stated his belief that the best way to relieve the pressure on services provided to illegals over the long term is to stop illegal immigrants from crossing the border in the first place. In a letter to the INS sent the day before, Hunter stated: "It is my sincere belief that a reactive approach to this urgent situation cannot continue and we must address this evolving crisis with the understanding that Imperial County must receive priority by the Immigration and Naturalization Service."

Congressman Hunter has successfully worked to gain additional funding for INS, Border Patrol and National Guard efforts to control the border. Most recently, the Fiscal Year 1999 omnibus spending bill, H.R. 4328, which passed on October 20, 1998, included an additional $10 million specifically allocated for the INS to procure sensors, motion detectors, remote video surveillance cameras and infrared optics. Hunter's letter stressed that the El Centro Border Patrol Sector must be given preference in deploying this equipment.

Hunter is also seeking funding for new border fencing in Imperial County. H.R. 4328 contained $20 million for the National Guard's efforts to control the border against drug smuggling and other activities. The funding would go towards upgrade and repair of current fencing as well as construction of a second layer of new fencing in some areas. Hunter concluded his request to the INS by calling for a meeting in Imperial County to address these issues and set up a specific timetable to enact solutions.

October 30, 1998: In a letter to INS Commissioner Meissner, Congressman Hunter calls for the immediate deployment of additional border enforcement resources to Imperial County. Recent statistics detail that as the number of illegal immigrant apprehensions have dropped by 50% over the past few years in San Diego County (248,604 in 1998), apprehensions in Imperial County are up by 568% (226,695 in 1998). Yet, there are approximately 2,200 Border Patrol agents currently in San Diego County and only about 330 in Imperial County. Hunter's letter cites the necessity to get to a total force of 20,000 Border Patrol agents---a proposal supported by the Administration's drug czar Barry McCaffrey, to deploy several hundred more Border Patrol agents to Imperial County, as well as the need to alleviate the burden on the County's resources, which have been stretched as a result of services provided to injured and deceased illegal aliens. As detailed in the letter, several thousand more Border Patrol agents would be available today if not for the Administration's opposition to Congressman Hunter's efforts. Click here to read Congressman Hunter's letter to INS Commissioner Meissner.

September 28, 1998: Funding for Fiscal Year 1999 national defense programs gained final House approval. A measure in the bill will add $3 million for the National Guard's continued construction of the border fence and roads in eastern San Diego County.

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