Reyes Report - Obama to Visit El Paso Tuesday

Statement

Dear Friends:

I'm pleased to announce that President Barack Obama will visit El Paso Tuesday May 10. This is his second visit to our community in less than a year. He last visited El Paso on August 31st of last year when he visited our troops at Fort Bliss. His visit comes at a critical time for our nation, and the border region, and I look forward to welcoming him once again.

Nearly 10 years since the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, our military and intelligence professionals have successfully ended one of the most extensive manhunts in history, and brought to justice the mastermind behind that fateful day. The death of Osama bin Laden represents the most significant military and intelligence accomplishment in the fight against al Qaeda and those responsible for plotting the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. While this is an important milestone in the fight against al Qaeda, we cannot afford to let our guard down and must remain vigilant in our efforts to combat global terrorism.

Sunday's heroic actions by our government's forces are the culmination of years of hard work by our intelligence and military professionals. As the former Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, I had the opportunity to meet with men and women of our armed forces and intelligence agencies in Afghanistan and Pakistan, including those working to bring Osama bin Laden to justice. The extent of their sacrifices will likely never be fully known to most Americans, but our nation is deeply indebted to them and their families for their service, and their willingness to risk their lives to protect all of us here at home.

When the President first came to office, he made a commitment to refocus our nation's efforts on al Qaeda and dismantling the terrorist network by winding down our operations in Iraq and increasing our forces in Afghanistan. The death of Osama bin Laden is a devastating blow to the al Qaeda network, and sends a clear message to those who seek to do us harm that we will not waiver in our pursuit of justice, and we will relentlessly pursue terrorists who threaten our nation. I commend our Commander-in-Chief and his national security team, particularly CIA Director Leon Panetta, who was tasked with making the capture or killing of bin Laden the agency's top priority.

Accomplishing this critical mission was not without significant human costs to our nation. The courageous efforts by our intelligence professions to find al Qaeda's leader has resulted in significant casualties, including the death of seven agents who perished in a deadly attack on the CIA in Khost, Afghanistan. When I first learned of bin Laden's death, I was immediately reminded of their bravery and sacrifice on that horrific day. I hope the death of Osama bin Laden brings some measure of closure to the families who lost a loved one during the attacks of September 11th, and to those families who lost a loved one in the effort to bring those responsible to justice.

Visit with President Calderon in Mexico City

I recently had the opportunity to meet with President Felipe Calderon in Mexico City once again to discuss the U.S.-Mexico partnership to dismantle Mexico's drug cartels and help the country to build effective democratic institutions. I joined Congresswoman Kay Granger, the influential Chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, and seven other Members of Congress to meet with the Presidents and military leaders of Mexico, Colombia, Panama, and Guatemala.

With the unprecedented efforts in Mexico to crack down on drug trafficking operations, drug cartels are increasingly depending on Central American countries as a staging ground to transport drugs to the United States and around the world. Countries such as Guatemala and Panama are experiencing increased crime and murder rates higher than Mexico, as drug cartels are seeking control of land-based drug routes in the region. With greater counter drug trafficking efforts by sea by the United States, Mexico, and Colombia, drug cartels are taking advantage of the smaller and impoverished nations in Central America to maintain their operations. My colleagues in the delegation and I are working to determine how the United States can assist these critical partners against the threats posed by drug cartels.

Helping Mexico and our other partner nations to strengthen their democratic institutions and build vibrant communities is critical to the security of our entire region. I recently testified before the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations to support assistance efforts and partnerships that address poverty, unemployment, homelessness, drug addiction, and economic development in Mexico. These efforts are critical to our objectives to provide an alternative to the lucrative drug trade that continues to entice a large segment of the population, particularly young people.

Yesterday, I spoke with former President Clinton about his efforts to help Juárez youth by encouraging them to finish school through the "A Ganar" program. These types of initiatives that invest in people and the future of our region are essential to helping the people of Juárez recover from the devastation caused by drug cartels.

This has been quite a week for our nation and our community. I hope you continue to follow my activities in Congress and keep in touch by sharing your views often. Please visit my website at www.Reyes.House.gov to get the latest news about my activities in Congress and be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr for updates.

Source