| December 22, 2005 |
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congresswoman Kay Granger (R-Fort Worth) released the following statement in response to Friday night’s House passage of H.R. 4437, the “Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005”:
“The passage of this bill – the most extensive piece of border security legislation in over a decade -- is significant. It also tackles two areas of border security that have had me concerned the most: it beefs up the number of agents we have at the border and curbs the ‘catch and release’ practice of detaining people coming here illegally,” said Congresswoman Kay Granger. “We know that there are people coming into the U.S. illegally from countries known to harbor terrorists such as Syria, the Sudan and Iran. Given this situation, we cannot afford to risk having porous or weakly guarded borders. Border security is a national security issue.”
Granger co-sponsored two of the bill’s provisions. One, led by Rep. Culberson (R-TX), funds a border sheriff deputy program, and the other, sponsored by Rep. Mike McCaul (R-TX), increases funding for more detention center space.
Granger serves on the Appropriations Committee and the powerful Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. She also serves as a Deputy Majority Whip. Granger is the first and only female Republican to serve in the Texas House delegation. Granger represents the 12th District of Texas and is currently serving her fifth term in Congress.