Renzi Blasts Senate Over Missed Opportunity to Expand Border Patrol

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Rick Renzi (AZ-1), a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, said that the U.S. Senate missed an important opportunity to expand the nation's Border Patrol after voting against its previous agreement to hire 2,000 more Border Patrol Agents and fund thousands of new detention beds for illegal aliens. The pledge to hire more agents and provide more detention beds was previously included in the intelligence bill approved by the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and passed by Congress. "This vote is an example of senate inaction on the issue of America's border security," said Congressman Renzi. "Our local communities along the southern border, especially in Arizona, are feeling the crush of illegal immigration. This lack of action by the Senate places undue pressure on local communities. I am extremely disappointed because this vote would have helped to make Border States and their residents safer." As the only member Arizona Congressional delegation on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Congressman Renzi has been focused on securing America's southern borders. He is pushing an initiative to use new technology that will allow the U.S. to monitor the border with Mexico to see and predict where people are staging prior to coming across the border. Congressman Renzi recently contacted U.S. Customs and Border Enforcement Commissioner Robert C. Bonner to outline his objections and concerns about a proposed Al-Jazeera documentary on America's border security. Renzi said the documentary, which was later canceled, would have been a powerful tool for terrorists to enter the United States illegally.