Honoring the life of senior Border Patrol agent Luis A. Aguilar, who lost his life in the line of duty near Yuma, Arizona, on January 19, 2008.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the resolution (H. Res. 954) honoring the life of senior Border Patrol agent Luis A. Aguilar, who lost his life in the line of duty near Yuma, Arizona, on January 19, 2008, as amended.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks on this resolution and include therein any extraneous material.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of House Resolution 954, honoring senior Border Patrol agent Luis A. Aguilar, who lost his life in the line of duty near Yuma, Arizona, on January 19, 2008.

I would also like to thank Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, a member of the Committee on Homeland Security, for introducing this important legislation.

Mr. Speaker, on January 19, 2008, Agent Aguilar was working with fellow

Border Patrol agents to secure a suspected narcotics smuggler in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreational Area when he was struck and killed by the suspected smuggler's vehicle as it fled into Mexico.

A native of El Paso, Texas, Agent Aguilar had been assigned to the Yuma Border Patrol station since joining the Border Patrol in July 2002. He was just 32 years old at the time of his death.

Agent Aguilar is survived by his wife, Erica; his children, Luis and Arianna; his father, Luis Aguilar, Sr.; his sister, Angie; and his Border Patrol brother, senior Border Patrol agent, Marco Antonio Aguilar.

Sadly, Mr. Speaker, Agent Aguilar's mother, Cecilia Silva, recently passed away after her son's tragic death.

We're here to honor Agent Aguilar, a young man who's made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the sovereign borders of the United States and make America more secure.

The mission of the U.S. Border Patrol is to control the nearly 6,000 miles of land border between ports of entry with Mexico and Canada, and the coastal waters around Florida and Puerto Rico.

The death of Agent Aguilar serves as a stark reminder of the risks our front-line agents and officers face each day as they serve as the guardians of our Nation's land borders.

As chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, I've been to the southern border on a number of occasions. I've witnessed firsthand the dedication of the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol, often under difficult and dangerous conditions. They work long hours, often late into the night, in extreme heat and cold.

Like Agent Aguilar, they are our Nation's last line of defense against would-be terrorists, drug traffickers and others who would seek to enter this Nation illegally. Agent Aguilar's contribution to our Nation's security deserves this recognition.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring senior Border Patrol Agent Luis Aguilar in his service to our Nation, and offer my deepest condolences to the family.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Grijalva).

Mr. Speaker, I have no more speakers at this time, and I am prepared to close if Mr. Davis is prepared, also.

Mr. Speaker, might I inquire as to the time remaining.

Thank you very much. I continue to reserve, Mr. Speaker. I have no other speakers.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself as much time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution to recognize the life of senior Agent Luis Aguilar. The loss of Agent Aguilar not only leaves a big hole in the Border Patrol organization but in the lives of his family.

I'd like to express again my sincere condolences and urge passage of this important resolution.

Mr. REYES. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 954, a resolution honoring the life and career of Senior Border Patrol Agent Luis A. Aguilar who on January 19, 2008 lost his life at the young age of 32 in the line of duty near Yuma, Arizona.

A native of my district of El Paso, Texas, Agent Aguilar began his career with the United States Border Patrol on July 21, 2002 after attending the 519th Session of the Border Patrol Academy. Upon graduation, Agent Aguilar was assigned to the Yuma Border Patrol Sector in Arizona.

On the day of Aguilar's tragic death, he was trying to deflate the tires of a Hummer being driven by a suspected narcotics smuggler who was attempting to flee back to Mexico across the Imperial Sand Dunes. The suspect accelerated while swerving and struck Agent Aguilar who was unable to move from the path of the vehicle. Injuries sustained by the impact caused the tragic loss of Agent Aguilar.

Chief Border Patrol Agent Chief David V. Aguilar posthumously awarded Agent Aguilar the Border Patrol's Purple Cross. This medal is one of the highest honors bestowed on an agent and is awarded to those who have sustained life-threatening injuries or have been killed in the line of duty.

I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, Erica and his children, Luis and Arianna. I would also like to ask that the House take a moment to morn the loss of Agent Aguilar's mother, Cecilia Silva, who just last week lost her fight with cancer. To his father, Luis Aguilar, your son was a hero in my eyes and the eyes of many across the nation.

Agent Aguilar committed his life to his job, and his family showed immense courage in supporting him and his mission. As a former Border Patrol agent myself, I know firsthand the dangers that an agent faces while protecting America's frontlines. Aguilar's dedication to his nation should be acknowledged, and today I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring Agent Aguilar for his service.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

It is with great sorrow and profound gratitude that I rise to support this resolution to honor the life and service of senior Border Patrol guard Luis Aguilar, who was tragically killed in the line of duty on January 19, 2008. He died after being struck by a vehicle driven by a suspected smuggler in the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area of California.

The work of a Border Patrol agent is inherently dangerous. In the normal course of their work, they run the risk of heat exhaustion, frostbite, and other challenges from the outdoor environment. Of even greater concern is the threat from smugglers and criminals seeking to illegally cross our borders who engage in violence against our Border Patrol agents.

As more agents, assets, and infrastructure are placed along the border, criminal activity is prevented from continuing with impunity. The unfortunate result of gaining operational control of our borders is an increase in violence targeted at agents. And we have seen a significant spike in the past several years, with nearly 1,000 assaults on agents last year, ranging from rock throwing to sniper attacks and to murder.

Agent Aguilar's death serves as a stark reminder of the risk our law enforcement agents face every day as they seek to secure our Nation's borders. These despicable criminal acts will only strengthen our resolve to secure our borders with additional agents, fencing, vehicle barriers, and technology. The Border Patrol plays a vital role in protecting America, and the sacrifices of its agents will not be forgotten.

I recently conducted an overnight visit on the Southwest border and saw firsthand the challenges and the dangers that these agents face. I returned with the clear resolve to support all the tools, resources, infrastructure, and policies necessary to gain operational control of our borders.

I would like to recognize the excellent work of U.S. law enforcement personnel and the Government of Mexico for tracking down and arresting the primary suspect in the murder of Agent Aguilar on January 22. For the sake of the Aguilar family, the Border Patrol and the justice for Agent Aguilar, I ask the Government of Mexico's continued cooperation and support to extradite this individual to the United States for trial.

The men and women of the Border Patrol face challenges and threats every day with vigilance, dedication to service, and integrity as they work to strengthen our national security and to protect America and its citizens.

I would like to once again extend my condolences to the Aguilar family and sincerely thank Agent Aguilar for his service to our Nation.

I would also like to extend my condolences for the recent passing of Agent Aguilar's mother, Cecilia.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield as much time as he may consume to the distinguished gentleman from California, my good friend, Mr. Royce.

I have another speaker, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to my good friend, Mr. Bilbray, from California.

Mr. Speaker, as I prepare to close, I want to again thank the Aguilar family and pass on the American people's condolences to the Aguilar family. I want to thank his fellow Border Patrol agents who are willing to protect our freedoms each and every day, and I would like to urge my colleagues in support of this resolution this afternoon.

With that, I yield back the remainder of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor senior Border Patrol Agent Luis Aguilar. He was killed 3 weeks ago on January 19. He was intentionally struck by the driver of a vehicle that he was attempting to stop.

And on that day, Border Patrol agents observed both a Ford pickup truck and a Hummer crossing illegally from Mexico into the United States. It was near Yuma, Arizona, and they began pursuit. The drivers of the two vehicles saw that the agents were following them, and they turned back toward the border. But as Agent Aguilar deployed spike strips, he was intentionally struck by the driver of that Hummer.

His death serves for us as another stark reminder of the dangerous environment our Border Patrol faces every day. Violence against Border Patrol agents, I sadly report, is increasing in

the United States. It has gone up 31 percent. Between 2006 and 2007, the number of incidents rose from 752 attacks to 987 against our Border Patrol agents. Agents are being assaulted with an arsenal of weaponry that includes bottles and knives, bats, ball bearings, steel pipes, cinder blocks, slingshots and vehicles.

When I was chairman of the Subcommittee on International Terrorism and Nonproliferation, I held hearings down on the border, both in Laredo, Texas, and in San Diego, and the focus was on border vulnerabilities and on international terrorism. At that time, there had been some reports of international terrorists trying to cross that border.

One thing the Border Patrol asked us for, and they said this would make an immediate impact on securing our borders and securing our Nation, they asked us for a double border fence, as was finally passed in the Secure Fence Act. Many Americans strongly supported that legislation to construct that fence to help slow illegal entry into the United States, and, quite frankly, they are baffled that Congress took such a step back from strengthening our border security, as we did with that omnibus spending bill earlier this year, because that omnibus spending bill gutted the Secure Fence Act. The Secure Fence Act required double fencing. It would put a fence where it was needed most, in areas that have the highest instances of drug smuggling, of human smuggling, and of gang activity.

The omnibus bill that we passed here, that I opposed, removed the two-tier requirement and the list of locations. It also put up numerous bureaucratic and legal hurdles to undermine the fence's completion. It's past time we strengthen operational control of our borders. We need to use every tool available to give the Border Patrol the support they need to help protect Border Patrol agents as they requested.

Again, I just want to recognize the service of Agent Luis Aguilar, killed in the line of duty.

Mr. Speaker, Agent Aguilar, like myself, was born and raised on the border. He knew the challenges that faced the border. He understood the risks, and sadly, his life, as documented, was the price he paid for out-of-control borders.

I just hope that everyone today, when they vote on this bill and support this bill, recognizes that for all too long Border Patrol agents have not only faced the threat of life-and-death situations along the border while they're enforcing our laws, protecting our neighborhoods, and protecting the lives of illegal immigrants crossing the border every day. A story that's not told enough about when somebody crossing the border illegally needs to be saved while they're dying in the desert, drowning in rivers, being attacked by coyotes, it's the Border Patrol agents who are the last straw of survival for so many of these illegals.

Border Patrol Aguilar proved his loyalty to America with his life, and sadly, I just ask all of us to remember that there are Aguilars up and down the border, north and south, all over this country, doing a tough job and, frankly, not getting very much credit, in fact, getting attacked personally and viciously just because they're doing the tough job that the American people want.

I just hope that we understand that our job today is to recognize the sacrifice of the Aguilar family and remember that when Mrs. Aguilar passed away after finding out about her son, I'm sure she would want to send a message of do what you can, Congress, to make sure my other son is safe, protected, and well-provided for in his duties of serving the American people.

So, Mr. Speaker, I'd ask that we recognize the service of not only Agent Aguilar but his mother, his brother, and his entire family, and by doing that, let's be brave enough to send them the resources, both in physical equipment and in the proper laws, that the Border Patrol agents have been asking us to do for a long time so that they do not have to continue to function in this killing zone that we call the border area.

And so I ask strongly the Democrats and Republicans to join together and let's do what we can to avoid this situation in the future. That may mean taking some hits from our friends about building fences or cracking down on illegal employers, doing all those things that we have not done enough in the past, and that, Mr. Speaker, would truly be a good recognition of the service of Agent Aguilar and an appropriate memorial by this Congress.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 954, honoring the life of senior border patrol agent Luis A. Aguilar, who lost his life in the line of duty near Yuma, Arizona. Agent Aguilar's death serves as another stark reminder of the risks our front-line agents and officers face each day.

Aguilar was trying to place spike strips in the path of two vehicles believed to have illegally entered the country from Mexico when one of the vehicles hit him. Both vehicles drove back across the border into Mexico. After over 5 years of dedicated service in the United States Border Patrol, Luis Aguilar selflessly paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to the United States.

The fatal incident occurred about 20 miles west of Yuma in the Imperial Sand Dunes

Recreation Area near Andrade, California, just over the California state line from Arizona. This area is frequently used by smugglers carrying people or drugs. A half hour earlier agents had seen a brown Hummer and a red Ford F-250 pickup crossing from Mexico into the United States. The vehicles traveled west on Interstate 8, and the vehicles turned around, heading back the way they had come with the Border Patrol in pursuit.

Luis Aguilar resided in Somerton, Arizona, and is survived by his mother and father, his wife, Erica Aguilar, his two children, Luis and Ariana, his brother, senior Border Patrol agent Marco Antonio Aguilar, and his sister, Angie Aguila.

Border Patrol agents carry out the vital role of protecting our Nation's borders and ensuring the safety of the United States. Agents work devotedly and selflessly on behalf of the people of the United States, without regard for the peril or danger to themselves; and the United States will forever be grateful for the service of Luis Aguilar and mourn his loss.

I recognize the dedication and sacrifice made by the men and woman who have lost their lives while serving as United States Border Patrol agents. I honor Luis Aguilar for his service as a Border Patrol agent and for his sacrifice to the United States and extend my deepest condolences to the family of Luis Aguilar.