[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H. Res. 1261 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1261 Honoring the service and sacrifices of the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol and their families on its centennial. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 24, 2024 Mr. Thompson of Mississippi (for himself, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Correa, Mr. Thanedar, Mr. Magaziner, Mr. Suozzi, and Mr. Kennedy) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security _______________________________________________________________________ RESOLUTION Honoring the service and sacrifices of the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol and their families on its centennial. Whereas the Mounted Guard was assigned to the Immigration Service under the Department of Commerce and Labor from 1904 to 1924; Whereas, in 1915, Congress authorized the deployment of Mounted Guards along the southwest border; Whereas, on May 28, 1924, the U.S. Border Patrol was established pursuant to an Act entitled ``Making appropriations for the Departments of State and Justice and for the Judiciary, and for the Departments of Commerce and Labor, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1925, and for other purposes'' (chapter 204 of Public Law 68-153); Whereas the U.S. Border Patrol is charged with enforcing immigration and customs laws between ports of entry; Whereas, on June 2, 1924, the first U.S. Border Patrol sector headquarters opened in Detroit, Michigan, and the first station along the southwest border opened one month later in El Paso, Texas; Whereas, in 1925, Congress expanded the U.S. Border Patrol's duties to patrolling the seacoast; Whereas, in 1941, U.S. Border Patrol Air Operations officially commenced; Whereas the tragic events of September 11, 2001, underscored the importance of homeland security and led to significant enhancements in U.S. Border Patrol operations, including increased personnel and advanced technology; Whereas, on March 1, 2003, the U.S. Border Patrol was integrated into the newly created Department of Homeland Security under U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Whereas, in 2017, the U.S. Border Patrol established the Missing Migrant Program to rescue migrants in distress and reduce loss of life along the southwest border; Whereas the U.S. Border Patrol is currently authorized to comprise up to 22,000 agents across 20 sectors, tasked with protecting 6,000 miles of international land borders and 2,000 miles of coastal waters; Whereas, since 1919, 155 Border Patrol agents have lost their lives in the line of duty; Whereas the families of Border Patrol agents endure significant sacrifices, provide unwavering support, and enrich their communities; Whereas Border Patrol agents have been entrusted with protecting the American people through border and national security missions: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the House of Representatives-- (1) recognizes U.S. Border Patrol's 100 years of commitment and dedication to safeguarding our Nation by securing and protecting its borders for the American people; and (2) honors the service and sacrifices of the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol and their families, past and present. <all>