Grassley Appalled by Lack of Technology at Border Crossings

GRASSLEY APPALLED BY LACK OF TECHNOLOGY AT BORDER CROSSINGS

Senator asks Appropriations Committee to keep WHTI deadline in place

WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley today said that a lot of people have been paying attention to how people sneak in the back door to the United States, but today's testimony from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) shows its time to start paying attention to the front door as well. In a hearing before the Senate Finance Committee, the Senator heard testimony from the GAO that showed its agents crossing the border 18 times with counterfeit documents. The agents were not caught during any of their attempts.

Grassley held a hearing in 2003 to outline similar concerns after GAO agents crossed the border with counterfeit documents.

"Three years after our first hearing it appears our borders are no more secure," Grassley said. "I certainly hope we aren't back here in another three years asking the same questions."

The hearing also highlighted the need for additional technology at the border. It was estimated that the cost to include technology similar to what was shown during the hearing would be a fraction of one percent of the Department of Homeland Security's budget.

"It's amazing to me that the Department of Homeland Security can put the security improvements in its own building, but when it comes to the American public the agency doesn't seem to have an answer," Grassley said.

Grassley also said that today's testimony showed the importance of implementing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative in a timely manner. The Initiative was included in the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act and would require a passport or other document for all travelers entering the United States. The fiscal 2007 Senate Homeland Security Appropriations bill included a provision that would extend the deadline for implementing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Following the hearing, Grassley sent a letter to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees requesting that they look at the information in today's hearing and not extend the deadline for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

Here is a copy of Grassley's letter.

August 2, 2006

The Honorable Thad Cochran
Chairman
Senate Appropriations Committee
S-128
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Robert C. Byrd
Ranking Member
Senate Appropriations Committee
S-128
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Jerry Lewis
Chairman
House Appropriations Committee
H- 218
Washington, D.C. 20515

The Honorable David R. Obey
Ranking Member
House Appropriations Committee
1016 Longworth
Washington D.C. 20515

Dear Chairmen and Ranking Members:

I am writing to express concern about a provision in the FY2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill that would extend the deadline for implementing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. I respectfully request that the House-Senate Conference Committee seriously consider omitting this provision from the final conference report.

Today, the Senate Finance Committee held a hearing to highlight the problems at our nation's borders. We heard testimony from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) about their undercover border crossings over the last three years. The GAO used fake documents, phony driver's licenses, and claimed to be U.S. Citizens in order to enter the United States. According to the GAO, their undercover agents got past the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol 42 of 45 times. CBP failed to catch the intruders 93% of the time, proving that anyone with a fake ID and a tall tale can get waived right in to the U.S.

The Committee also heard some very strong evidence as to why the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is important and why we should make sure this law is implemented by the deadline that Congress established. Congress, in 2004, passed the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act to require the Departments of State and Homeland Security to implement a plan requiring a passport or other document for all travelers entering the United States. We passed this Initiative in order to reduce the free travel across our borders by potential terrorists, as recommended unanimously after an extensive investigation by the bipartisan, independent 9/11 Commission.

Today, CBP agreed that the Initiative is important, and told us that they are working to be prepared for the January 1, 2008 deadline. They said the Initiative, and its passport requirement is the "gold standard." In fact, they even stated that another hearing pointing out border security flaws would take place if our country did not have a mandatory and standardized document with security features or biometric identifiers. It was made very clear - border security, in part, depends on secure documents.

Congress, through authorization bills, sets deadlines for a reason. Without them, nothing would get done in Washington. Even with deadlines, agency bureaucrats procrastinate. The US VISIT program of 1996 is a classic example. The deadline we set for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is not until January 1, 2008. Extending or lifting the deadline in this year's spending bill is premature. It's also foolish. We should allow the agency to try to meet the deadline, and implement a system that will close our borders to potential terrorists as quickly as possible.

I appreciate your consideration of this important matter, and hope you will not include a provision to extend the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative in the FY2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill.

Sincerely,

Charles E. Grassley
United States Senator

http://grassley.senate.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=PressReleases.Detail&PressRelease_id=5149&Month=8&Year=2006