Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

House OKs bill to let U.S. soldiers guard (Canada/Mexico) border
Borderland News ^ | 5/21/04 | Sergio Bustos

Posted on 05/21/2004 3:46:15 PM PDT by Libloather

House OKs bill to let U.S. soldiers guard border
Sergio Bustos
Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- U.S. soldiers may be asked to keep undocumented immigrants and potential terrorists out of the country.

The House on Thursday passed a defense authorization bill, which includes a provision that would let U.S. troops join with U.S. Border Patrol agents in guarding the nation's borders with Canada and Mexico.

The bill authorizes Defense Department programs for the coming fiscal year, which will begin Oct. 1. The border troop amendment, championed by Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va., passed the House late Wednesday by a 40-vote margin, 231-191.

The provision stands little chance of surviving beyond the House because it was not part of the Senate's version of the defense bill.

"If troops were needed, they could be of significant assistance to prevent the infiltration of terrorists, drug traffickers, and illegal aliens, and could prevent the entry of weapons of mass destruction into our country," Goode said.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, who spent 26 years with the U.S. Border Patrol and opposed the amendment, said it was "simply the wrong solution to our current problems along the border."

"This amendment will send our military personnel to our borders at a time when they are already stretched thin in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Kosovo, Bosnia and over 100 other countries around the world," he said. "We cannot and we should not ask our military personnel to patrol our borders."

Southern Arizona lawmakers whose districts run along the U.S.-Mexico border echoed Reyes' argument.

"Border security is and continues to be a top priority for me and for the Congress as a whole," said Rep. Jim Kolbe, R-Tucson.

"But the Goode amendment would militarize our border and stretch the resources of our Army."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; allow; borderpatrol; borders; bordersecurity; canada; house; immigrantlist; kolbe; mexico; military; oks; patrol; plan; us; virgilgoode
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-93 next last
To: SouthernFreebird
We shouldn't use our Army, Navy, and Air Force as a Border Patrol. Use the National Guard instead. The Army (of active-duty soldiers) already is overburdened with duties fighting terrorists in faraway lands.
21 posted on 05/21/2004 4:45:56 PM PDT by dufekin (John F. Kerry. Irrational, improvident, backward, seditious.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Libloather; glock rocks; TexasCowboy; Squantos; Pete-R-Bilt; archy
""This amendment will send our military personnel to our borders at a time when they are already stretched thin in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Kosovo, Bosnia and over 100 other countries around the world," he said. "We cannot and we should not ask our military personnel to patrol our borders."

"Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Kosovo, Bosnia and over 100 other countries are more important than our own country in this bastards opinion! ( Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso,)

Find me a short rope and a nervous pony for him to set on!

I'll change his opinion real quick about what's important and what's not.

This will be an example of my controlled anger towards traitors.

22 posted on 05/21/2004 4:52:55 PM PDT by B4Ranch ( "Lady, I only speak two languages, English and Bad English!" - Corbin Dallas "The Fifth Element")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Libloather; glock rocks; TexasCowboy; Squantos; Pete-R-Bilt; archy
""This amendment will send our military personnel to our borders at a time when they are already stretched thin in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Kosovo, Bosnia and over 100 other countries around the world," he said. "We cannot and we should not ask our military personnel to patrol our borders."

"Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Kosovo, Bosnia and over 100 other countries are more important than our own country in this bastards opinion! ( Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso,)

Find me a short rope and a nervous pony for him to set on!

I'll change his opinion real quick about what's important and what's not.

This will be an example of my controlled anger towards traitors.

23 posted on 05/21/2004 4:58:10 PM PDT by B4Ranch ( "Lady, I only speak two languages, English and Bad English!" - Corbin Dallas "The Fifth Element")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: B4Ranch; HiJinx
NumbersUSA Immigration Profile of Rep. Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas: District 16) El Paso, Served in House: 1997-

(Keep in mind this is but a sampling of the long list of Reyes' betrayals. He has consistantly pushed for open borders, amnesties and programs that reward illegal aliens.)

Voted in favor of sanctuary policies to protect illegal aliens in 2003
Rep. Reyes voted against an amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill, H.R. 2555, and against an amendment to the Commerce, Justice, and State Appropriations bill, H.R. 2799, that would prohibit funding from going to cities that have an official sanctuary policy. As background, 'sanctuary policies,' are local policies that forbid public officials, including police officers, from reporting illegal aliens to federal authorities. These policies flout the law by requiring public entities to provide taxpayer-funded services to persons regardless of whether they are in the United States illegally. In 1996, Congress passed a law that specifically prohibits state and local governments from enacting sanctuary policies. Despite that, cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, still have sanctuary policies in place. The amendments, offered by Rep. Tom Tancredo, would have created a huge incentive for these cities to rescind the policies that protect illegal aliens, criminal aliens, and, potentially, terrorists, by denying them some Federal funding. The amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill failed by a vote of 102-322. The amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill failed by a vote of 122-305.

Voted against using the military to assist in border control functions in 2003
Rep. Reyes voted AGAINST the Goode Amendment to H.R. 1588, to authorize members of the military, under certain circumstances, to assist the Department of Homeland Security in the performance of border control functions. The Goode Amendment passed the House by a vote of 250-179.

Voted AGAINST authorizing troops on the border in 2001.
Rep. Reyes voted not to enforce the border by voting AGAINST the Traficant amendment to HR 2586. This amendment authorized the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, to request that members of the Armed Forces assist the INS with border control duties. The Traficant amendment passed by a vote of 242 to 173, but this measure was never considered by the Senate.

Voted in 2000 against authorizing troops on the border.
Rep. Reyes voted AGAINST enforcing the border by opposing the Traficant amendment to H.R.4205. This amendment authorizes the Secretary of Defense to assign, under certain circumstances, members of the Armed Forces to assist the INS with border control duties. The Traficant amendment passed by a vote of 243 to 183, but the Clinton Administration never chose to exercise this power.

If you can stand reading any more of this you'll find the complete report here.

24 posted on 05/21/2004 5:00:36 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (Out of the shadows and into the deportation trucks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: B4Ranch; glock rocks

if we spend the money to put troops in to close our borders, maybe we can pay for it by not buying water coolers to put out for the illegles in the desert states...

and the aclu can take care of something worth a crap...


25 posted on 05/21/2004 5:01:51 PM PDT by Pete-R-Bilt (god bless those who served and died to protect us.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Libloather
When I was in the 82nd Airborne, we spent a lot of time doing training exercises on the border.

Hmmmm.

26 posted on 05/21/2004 5:01:52 PM PDT by patton (I wish we could all look at the evil of abortion with the pure, honest heart of a child.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: B4Ranch

Well, Kosovo and Bosnia should be handled by the euroweiners portion of nato. That would be a good start.


27 posted on 05/21/2004 5:02:06 PM PDT by glock rocks (Please pray for our patriot armed forces in harm's way - and the families awaiting their safe return)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Libloather

O'Reilly will have an orgasm.


28 posted on 05/21/2004 5:02:16 PM PDT by aculeus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Libloather
I'm all for closing the borders tight, BUT...

We have the most awesome fighting force in the world --- the biggest, with the best equipment and the best training --- but don't try to use it for a police force.

As Rush says, the mission of the Army is to kill people and break things (as it should be). Don't deploy the troops unless the mission is to kill anything that moves. Anything else will degrade their effectiveness, cause friction with the locals, and invite an incident.

BTW, has anyone considered what will happen on the other side of the border? How would you feel if you saw Mexican troops massing along the Rio Grande?

29 posted on 05/21/2004 5:02:49 PM PDT by ZOOKER
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Libloather
"This amendment will send our military personnel to our borders at a time when they are already stretched thin in places like Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Kosovo, Bosnia and over 100 other countries around the world," he said. "We cannot and we should not ask our military personnel to patrol our borders."

There's an excuse for everything it seems when it comes to any attempt at getting illegal immigration under control:

• We can't put the military on the border, it's stretched too thin as it is and there's the danger of violence against the citizens.

• We can't let the police help enforce the law, it will damage relations with the immigrant community, and besides, that job belongs to the feds.

• We can't let hospitals report illegals, it's not their job and will discourage the aliens from seeking free medical help thereby spreading diseases.

• We can't enforce employer sanctions, the illegal aliens are here to work the jobs lazy Americans "just don't want to do" for minimum wage.

• We can't cut off welfare and other freebies, their American born children will suffer and that's mean-spirited.

Yet after they're finished making their thousand excuses in the same breath they'll mumble something about how they agree the border needs to be controlled and the laws enforced.

Why don't these politicians just admit it for a change, they don't want illegals stopped from coming in, they don't want the laws against them enforced once they're here, and they prefer we shut our mouths about it.

30 posted on 05/21/2004 5:03:11 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Reaganwuzthebest

It's all BS...the politicos inside the beltway will destroy the country due to their PC insanity.


31 posted on 05/21/2004 5:04:55 PM PDT by Veracious Poet (Cash cows are sacred in America...GOT MILKED???)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Pete-R-Bilt
and the aclu can take care of something worth a crap...

The second amendment is a civil right. The aclu is not worthy or capable of their name.

32 posted on 05/21/2004 5:04:56 PM PDT by glock rocks (Please pray for our patriot armed forces in harm's way - and the families awaiting their safe return)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: patton
The entire Democratic party with few exceptions is against this.

One more strike against the jackass party, who are not up to the task of defending America.

The very concept of a Kerry administration at this time in our nations history is preposterous.

33 posted on 05/21/2004 5:06:40 PM PDT by Rome2000 (Foreign leaders for Kerry!!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: Veracious Poet
It's all BS...the politicos inside the beltway will destroy the country due to their PC insanity.

What's really unfortunate is it's our kids who are going to suffer more than us.

34 posted on 05/21/2004 5:10:33 PM PDT by Reaganwuzthebest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: Fiddlstix

Ok Kick the Aliens out and pay Seven dollars for a head of lettice--Five bucks for an Orange and three bucks for an apple. The illegal's are the only ones willing to work at these jobs. American's don't want to flip burgers or pick crops--its just that simple. Why should they? They got welfare and "safty nets."


35 posted on 05/21/2004 5:14:21 PM PDT by Hollywoodghost (Let he who would be free strike the first blow)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: NewRomeTacitus
Find me a short rope and a nervous pony for him to set on!

You think them guards in Iraq were good at getting information, I can be good at changing opinions with traitors.
36 posted on 05/21/2004 5:15:04 PM PDT by B4Ranch ( "Lady, I only speak two languages, English and Bad English!" - Corbin Dallas "The Fifth Element")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: ZOOKER

Make the mission to kill anything with two legs and no wings that moves within 500 feet of our border.


37 posted on 05/21/2004 5:17:56 PM PDT by B4Ranch ( "Lady, I only speak two languages, English and Bad English!" - Corbin Dallas "The Fifth Element")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: B4Ranch

LoL. Keep going with the quaint sayings and folks might mistake you for Dan Rather. That's a good one, though.


38 posted on 05/21/2004 5:23:59 PM PDT by NewRomeTacitus (Out of the shadows and into the deportation trucks.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Imagine
19) All immigration benefits shall be conditional. An alien that has committed fraud in order to immigrate should not be granted a free pass for missrepresentation when the the fraud has manifested itself after the alien has become a naturalized citizen.

20) One must be a Lawful Permanent resident for 10 before becoming eligible for citizenship.

39 posted on 05/21/2004 5:38:42 PM PDT by Robert Lomax
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: NewRomeTacitus

Traitor Dan Rather is another one who needs a short ride and long hang too.


40 posted on 05/21/2004 5:46:47 PM PDT by B4Ranch ( "Lady, I only speak two languages, English and Bad English!" - Corbin Dallas "The Fifth Element")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 38 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-93 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson