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Skriven 2006-10-04 23:31:42 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0610042) for Wed, 2006 Oct 4
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President Bush Signs Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 4, 2006

President Bush Signs Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act
The Camelback Inn
Scottsdale, Arizona


˙˙˙˙˙ President's Statement on H.R. 5441 ˙˙˙˙˙ In Focus: Homeland Security
˙˙˙˙˙

9:37 A.M. MST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all for coming. Pretty soon, I'm going to sign an
important piece of legislation that will highlight our government's highest
responsibility, and that's to protect the American people. The Department
of Homeland Security plays a critical role in fulfilling this
responsibility every day. Since it's creation in 2003, the Department has
strengthened security of our borders, airports, seaports, and other key
infrastructure. It's helped give our partners in local and state law
enforcement the tools they need to do their jobs.

The legislation I sign today provides about $33.8 billion in funding to
help secure the homeland. This is a good bill. It will help us deploy
nuclear detection equipment at our ports of entry, raise security standards
at the nation's chemical plants, safeguard American cities against weapons
of mass destruction, and stop terrorists seeking to enter our country.

The bill will also help our government better respond to emergencies and
natural disasters by strengthening the capabilities of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency. This legislation will give us better tools to
enforce our immigration laws and to secure our southern border.

This bill is going to make this country safe, for all our citizens, and I
appreciate the members of the Congress who have joined me to witness this
signing: Senator Jon Kyl, J.D. Hayworth, Trent Franks, and Rick Renzi.
These members supported this good bill, and I thank them for their support.
I'm also pleased that Governor Janet Napolitano has joined us. Governor,
thank you for being here. We're honored to have you up here with us.

The bill I sign helps us address one of the central issues facing all
states, but particularly a state like Arizona, and that's illegal
immigration. I understand full well that illegal immigration puts pressure
on the public schools and hospitals. It strains state and local budgets. In
some communities, it increases crime. The administration and Congress have
been taking decisive steps to address this issue.

Since I took office, we've increased funding for our border security from
$4.6 billion in 2001, to $9.5 billion in 2006. We have increased the number
of Border Patrol agents from about 9,000 to 12,000. We significantly
decreased the time it takes to return illegal immigrants to their home
countries. They apprehended and sent home more than 6 million people
entering this country illegally. We stepped up work site enforcement
against companies who knowingly hire illegal workers. We're sending a clear
signal that we're a nation of law, and laws will be enforced.

We've made progress in addressing illegal immigration, but there is a lot
more work to be done. This May, I asked Congress to fund improvements in
infrastructure, technology, and manpower at the border, and I appreciate
Congress delivering upon my requests.

The bill I sign today includes nearly $1.2 billion in additional funding
for strengthening the border, for new infrastructure and technology that
will help us do our job. It provides funding for more border fencing,
vehicle barriers, and lighting, for cutting-edge technology, including
ground base radar, infrared cameras, and advance sensors that will help
prevent illegal crossings along our southern border. That's what the people
of this country want. They want to know that we're modernizing the border
so we can better secure the border.

The bill also supports our efforts to increase the number of Border Patrol
agents to about 18,000 by the end of 2008. I recognized, Congress
recognized that we needed more Border Patrol agents to do the job. So we
were in Artesia, New Mexico earlier, and went to the Border Patrol Training
Center; they were thanked first-hand, the men and women who are willing to
go out and do hard work and help secure a really long border. And I
appreciate the service of the Border Patrol.

It provides funding for about 1,500 additional Border Patrol agents. In
other words, this is part of a doubling of the Border Patrol that I called
for earlier in my administration. I fully understand it's going to take
time to recruit and train these Border Patrol, and that's why, in
coordination with the governors, we deployed 6,000 National Guard members
to the southern border, and they're doing a fine job.

I remember the outcry when I thought it was a good -- told the American
people I thought it was a good idea to send them down there. But,
thankfully, we did. And they're helping the Border Patrol. And when the
Border Patrol agencies -- number of agents double, then we're not going to
need the National Guard. But in the meantime, America owes them a debt of
gratitude and thanks.

The bill I sign today also includes a 25 percent increase for funding for
immigration and customs enforcement. This funding will help federal agents
better enforce our immigration laws inside our country. It will allow us to
add at least 6,700 new beds in detention centers. Part of the problem we
face is that illegal immigrant that was caught sneaking into the country,
and because there was no detention beds, the Border Patrol would say, why
don't you check back in with us after awhile. There's no place to hold you,
so check back in with the judges. And of course, they didn't check back in.
It created a lot of frustration with the Border Patrol.

So we're in the process of ending catch and release. This bill will help us
end catch and release. You see, when people know that they'll be caught and
sent home if they enter the country illegally, they're going to be less
likely to try to enter illegally in the first place.

The funds that Congress has appropriated are critical for our efforts to
secure this border and enforce our laws. Yet, we must also recognize that
enforcement alone is not going to work. You need comprehensive reform that
provides a legal way for people to work here on a temporary basis. It's
going to relieve pressure on the border. It will enable our Border Patrol
agents to do a better job when we reduce the number of people trying to
sneak into the country. It will free up our law enforcement officers to
focus on criminals and drug dealers and terrorists and others who mean us
harm.

We'll continue to work with Congress to pass comprehensive immigration
reform that secures this border, upholds the laws, and honors our nation's
proud heritage as a land of immigrants.

I want to thank the members of Congress who have joined me for this
important bill signing. And now it's my honor to sign the Department of
Homeland Security Appropriations Act for 2007.

(The bill is signed.) (Applause.)

END 9:44 A.M. MST

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