mr. chairman , i rise in support of the kolbe amendment . 
i also thank my colleague , the distinguished gentlewoman from california , for yielding me this time and , as well , my colleague and friend , the gentleman from texas ( mr. ortiz ) xz4003020 . 
let me express my appreciation for his leadership , because we have spent a good amount of time together at the southern border . 
i have also spent a good deal of time at the northern border , both sides of the coast . 
clearly , this legislation is needed with respect to improved and increased technology , but i would also argue that the secure our border act , that was offered by the select committee on homeland security democrats in the last congress , really speaks to the broader question . 
and , frankly , i wish this amendment had gone a step further ; that is that what we do not have are the necessary border patrol agents and their training equal to the enormous responsibility that comes with people coming across the border and , as well , adding that to the technology that is part of this particular amendment . 
and then , of course , detention beds . 
the gentleman from texas ( mr. ortiz ) xz4003020 is absolutely right . 
the southern border now lends itself to the doorway of terrorism because of this concept of otms , and the idea that they are given just a piece of paper , as he said , that says , show up , and no one is required to show up ; or when i say , required , there is no pressure , no enforcement , of their showing up . 
so technology is certainly what we need , and i hope , as we move forward in the select committee on homeland security , we will , if you will , author bills that will give those resources to the northern and southern border . 
but we need to understand what the gentleman is saying . 
this is a crisis as it relates to otms , particularly dealing with the potential of using that border for terrorists to come across . 
technology is one thing , but human participation is another ; not what has been offered by the president 's budget of 200 border patrol agents , but the 2 , 000 that really will help us secure the borders as necessary . 
this amendment will go a long way . 
i rise in support of the kolbe amendment . 
the kolbe amendment is one of the few ideas that have been proposed on the floor of the house during debate on h.r. 418 that would help secure our borders . 
we must secure our land borders and putting 21st century technology to work for us is the heart of the solution . 
homeland security democrats support monitoring our borders 24 hours a day -- 7 days a week . 
while the kolbe amendment falls short of asking for an interagency border security strategy , as democrats did in the secure border act , it does get at the key issues of assessing technology and staffing . 
now that congress has passed laws increasing personnel and technology , what we need most is an evaluation of what it will take to secure out borders . 
additionally , while sensors and cameras are currently being used , simple deployment is n't always the answer . 
the solution must address the problem and take into consideration the terrain . 
a ground surveillance program in partnership with the remote aerial surveillance program which was mandated as part of the 9/11 bill will go a long way towards achieving real border security . 
one missing area element in this amendment seems to be a link between the air and ground surveillance programs . 
i hope that that 's addressed . 
we can not afford to build systems in isolation . 
lastly , while this amendment does add to the debate on border security , these surveillance systems still require border patrol agents to apprehend illegal border crossers and contraband . 
when homeland security committee staff visited the southern border last year during a six month investigation , they found and heard border patrol agents tell them that they are inadequately staffed to monitor the expansive southern border . 
one border patrol support staffer explained that staffing shortages meant that he was responsible for simultaneously viewing 26 cameras for illegal crossings and notifying agents when he saw any crossings . 
this same employee was also responsible for notifying agents about buried sensor activations numbering from 100-150 an hour , and running computer checks on all detainees . 
it is clear that despite the fact that we have increased border patrol numbers , border patrol still lacks critical support staff . 
funding border security is a critical component of securing america 's borders . 
if the president wo n't do it -- let 's make sure that congress does . 
