Posted on 05/18/2006 5:11:33 PM PDT by snugs
Last night the President Bush delivered remarks at the Republican National Committee Gala
Today the President Bush toured the Yuma Sector Border after which he visited Yuma Sector Border Patrol Headquarters and gave a speach.
The President sent a Letter the Speaker of the House of Representatives requesting additional funds to address the security needs along the Nation's borders Click here for the text
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met with Prince Saud al-Faisal, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia at the State Department.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld met with Honduras' Minister of Defense Aristide Mejia at the Pentagon.
Tomorrow the Vice President will the commencement address before 3,200 graduates and their guests at LSU.
Enjoy your visit to Sanity Island
QUOTE OF THE DAY
President Bush Discusses Border Security and Immigration Reform in Arizona
Yuma Sector Border Patrol Headquarters
Yuma, Arizona
I've come down here to first of all thank the men and women of the Border Patrol for doing a fine job on behalf of the American people. A lot of time you don't get the credit you deserve, but there's a lot of folks who understand how hard you work. And we really appreciate it. So on behalf of a grateful nation, thanks for doing an important job. (Applause.)
I'm down here to talk about the immigration issue. And this is an important issue. It really is. It's an important debate our country is having. We need to have -- we need to secure our border, and we need fair and effective immigration laws. The other night I spoke to the country about the way I see it, and I'm looking forward to working with the United States Congress to get something done.
There's a lot of politics in Washington, D.C. And it's time to get rid of all the politics and do what's right for the United States of America and help you do your job. And that's why I've come to this part of the world. I wanted to hear firsthand from David and Ronald Colburn what they need to get the job done, and where we're making progress and where we aren't making progress.
Since I became the President we've increased funding for our border security by 66 percent. That's helped upgrade equipment, infrastructure. Border Patrol agents have gone from 9,000 -- about 9,000 to nearly 12,000, a significant increase of Border Patrol agents so that we can have more people in the front lines of doing our duty.
Here we've added about -- more than 100 Border Patrol agents in the Yuma sector in the last year. In other words, people are beginning to see, those on the front line of protecting the border are beginning to see additional agents coming on board. That's about an increase of 20 percent to more than 660 agents. This border -- this sector was overwhelmed at one time from people coming across illegally. I understand that. And one way to help deal with that problem is to increase the number of agents on the front line, which is what the leadership of the Border Patrol has done.
We saw some new fencing taking place. It makes sense to use fencing along the border in key locations in order to do our job. We saw lighting. I just saw the cameras in place where we're beginning to install -- modernize the border is what I'm telling you. We're in the process of making our border the most technologically advanced border in the world.
Interestingly enough, I don't think enough Americans know this, but over the past five years, federal agents, like our Border Patrol agents, have apprehended and sent home about 6 million people -- 6 million people since 2001 have come into this country illegally. I mean, we've got some people working hard.
So not only has the current immigration system caused a whole smuggling industry to come up, but there's also a document forgery industry. We want our employers to be able to be confident about who they're hiring. That's why we need a tamper-proof ID card, based upon modern biometrics.
We have a duty in Washington, D.C. to conduct this debate with dignity and honor. Immigration is an emotional issue. Sometimes people get carried away on the issue, and they -- in doing so, they forget the greatness of our country, that we are a land of immigrants; that we've always been a haven for better opportunity; that we welcome people who are willing to abide by our laws and work hard and raise their family and trust in the Almighty. America's greatness has been and always will be the fact that we are one nation under God.
PHOTOS OF THE DAY
President George W. Bush rides in a U.S. Border Patrol dune buggy during a tour of the Yuma sector near the U.S. Mexico border in Yuma, Arizona, Thursday, May 18, 2006.
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WoW Love that buggy
& the guy in it too
Dose going up please wait for the all clear before posting or reposting photos or graphics
Hiya
Hello
You have done it again LOL
Good evening, dear snugs!
Howdy :) How are you?
Busy Studying and you ?
President George W. Bush departs the White House in Washington May 18, 2006.
President Bush waves as he prepares to board Air Force One Thursday, May 18, 2006 at Andrews Air Force Base. Bush is traveling Yuma, Ariz., to tour the border
A secret service agent makes preparations for President Bush's arrival at Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona on Thursday, May 18, 2006
President Bush waves after arriving at Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Ariz. on Air Force One on Thursday, May 18, 2006
Here for some sanity.
How cute is THAT?!
Thanks for tonight's DOSE, snugs!
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