Hurd Reaffirms Commitment to Border Patrol

I recently introduced the Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Amendment Act of 2019 (H.R. 1392) with fellow border Reps. Xochitl Torres Small (NM-02) and Henry Cuellar (TX-28). This bipartisan bill streamlines and amends the overtime payment process so that the hardworking men and women in border patrol have the flexibility to be properly compensated for the dangerous jobs they perform.

The men and women of Border Patrol have highly demanding jobs and are our most important assets on the front line. We must take care of them and ensure that they are being compensated for the grueling hours they put in to secure our borders. These brave agents deserve certainty each time they receive their paychecks and I will continue to stand by the folks who put their lives on the line to keep Americans safe.

“I am honored to lead the bipartisan Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Amendment Act of 2019 with my friend and colleague, Rep. Will Hurd,” said Torres Small. “In my southern border district, the recruitment and retention of Border Patrol personnel is a major concern, especially in New Mexico’s remote Bootheel region. The brave men and women protecting our border deserve to be fairly and efficiently compensated for their work. This legislation is a step in the right direction in increasing the recruitment and retention of qualified Border Patrol agents.”

“In recent years, the U.S. Border Patrol has faced severe recruitment and retention challenges due to the dangerous and demanding nature of the jobs they perform,” said Cuellar. “Because they have been unsuccessful in sustaining their staffing requirements, a large number of agents are either retiring or leaving for other law enforcement jobs that offer better pay and more stable hours. This naturally puts our homeland is at risk.”

“The Border Patrol Agent Pay Reform Amendment Act of 2019 would help address Border Patrol recruitment and retention by properly compensating the brave men and women in green who put their lives on the line each day to keep America safe. I thank Representatives Hurd and Torres Small for working with me on this important issue so that we may increase efficiency and security at our borders.”

I introduced identical legislation last Congress which passed out of the House unanimously.