By Keegan Gibson, Managing Editor
The office of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords hosted two of Pennsylvania’s own Blue Dog Democrats this weekend.
Reps. Jason Altmire and Tim Holden are well known for their moderate stances on a variety of issues – including, it turns out – border security.
Rep. Giffords survived a tragic shooting that gained wall-to-wall national headlines in January, and is currently recovering from surgery in a Houston rehab clinic. Like Altmire and Holden, she has the reputation of a centrist Democrat.
According to Giffords’s chief of staff, the tours are a part of the Congresswoman’s continuing effort to inform other legislators about the dangers of an unsecured border in the U.S.
Along with Rep. John Barrow, D-Ga., Altmire and Holden visited a variety of sites of interest along the large border between Arizona’s 8th Congressional district and Mexico.
The main area viewed by the Congressmen was the border fence that has become a leading issue in the topic of immigration reform. The group also visited the Douglas Port of Entry and the area where rancher Robert Krantz was killed, east of Douglas, Arizona in March of last year. Many believe that Krantz was a target of Mexican drug smugglers.
“It was a great honor to support Gabby’s cause and a opportunity to learn more about our border protection.” said Holden. “We have an illegal immigration problem in Pennsylvania and it originates from places like this.”
“This weekend I was proud to see firsthand that the U.S.-Mexico border fence is now being constructed with American-made steel, a direct result of a rule I helped create in 2007,” said Altmire.
“One of the highlights of this trip was meeting border patrol agents who do an outstanding job under very difficult circumstances. Through our various stops, Congresswoman Gifford’s staff and her constituents helped explain that despite the progress that has been made, much more needs to be done to secure our borders.”
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One Response
This trip is one more Tim Holden howler — another excuse to get out of the house (not the House). Holden voted in favor of building a 700 mile fence on the Mexican border, a small fraction of its length, but then voted against funding its construction. His complete record on immigration issues has been terrible. Here’s the rest of the story:
•Holden voted in favor of rewarding illegal aliens from Mexico with Social Security benefits in 2004 (Hayworth AMDT 745 to H.R. 5006)
•Holden voted in favor of allowing illegal aliens to vote in union elections, 2007 (Against Motion to Recommit H.R. 800, the Employee Free Choice Act of 2007)
•Holden voted against amendment to end special amnesty for certain Central Americans in 2006 (Against Tancredo Amendment to H.R. 5541)
•Holden voted to strip significant illegal immigration reduction provisions from H.R. 10 in 2004
•Holden voted against enforcing federal laws against sanctuary policies to protect illegal aliens in 2004 (Against H. AMDT 655 to H.R. 4754)
•Holden voted in favor of sanctuary policies to protect illegal aliens in 2004 (Against H. AMDT 583 to H.R. 4567)
•Holden voted against authorizing the use of the military to assist in border control functions in 2001, 2003 and 2004
•Holden voted FOR a form of amnesty for illegal aliens in 2002 – H RES 365, section 245(i)
•Holden voted against an amendment to prohibit Social Security funds from being used administer benefits accrued from work performed in Mexico (Gingrey amendment to HR 3043)