House Democrats have also submitted a proposal on the border crisis lead by Texas Representative Sheila Jackson Lee.
Monthly Archives: August 2014
Steve Stockman of Texas introduces bill to address border crisis
House Photo
WASHINGTON D.C. – A bill was introduced by Texas House Republican Steve Stockman on July 31 to address the border crisis. It includes dealing with MS-13 gang members who brag to Border Patrol agents about the murders they committed in Central America.
According to the Stockman House web site, the bill would, “…would end the current border crisis by building a full double fence along the US/Mexican border, deploying additional law enforcement to the border, detaining gang members, punishing countries that refuse to accept repatriated illegals and banning welfare benefits for amnestied illegals.”
The text and information about the bill—which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and other committees—is not yet posted on the Thomas.gov web site. H.R. 5316 is entitled The SECURITY Act (Safely Exacting Cautious Useful Rules for Immigration This Year).
The nine sections of the bill provide for several things including prohibiting criminal gang members from receiving asylum, National Guard deployment and fencing and punishing countries refusing to repatriate refugees. The President of Guatemala is attempting to extort $2 billion to stop the flow of illegal aliens.
The measures of the bill are:
Section 2. Metrics
• Establishes metrics to evaluate the security of the border by defining operational control.
• Penalizes the budget of the DHS Undersecretary for Management for failure to achieve operational control.
Section 3. Fencing
• Requires completion of double-layered fencing along the entire Southern border.
• Requires initial plan and periodic progress reports on status of construction.
• Penalizes the DHS Secretary’s budget for failure to submit plan and progress reports.
Section 4. Border Patrol
• Requires House and Senate Committees to be notified if there are closures of Border Patrol stations and the reasons for the closure and plans for redistribution of personnel.
Section 5. National Guard
• Deploys additional members of the National Guard to support Border Patrol.
• Provides federal assistance for state border control activities.
Section 6. Detention
• Allows detention of dangerous criminal aliens beyond 6 months.
Section 7. Gangs
• Prohibits foreign criminal gang members from receiving asylee or refugee status.
Section 8. Judges
• Requires the Attorney General to submit annual requests to Congress for immigration judges.
Section 9. Facilities
• Requires the Secretary of Homeland Security to submit annual requests to Congress for detention facilities.
Section 10. Incentives
• Closes the additional child tax credit loophole.
• Prohibits an alien deemed to have lawful presence via executive order or policy directive from being defined as a qualified alien for purposes of public benefits.
Stockman complains that the border invasion of illegal aliens began as a result of Obama’s push for a DREAM act amnesty for illegal aliens. The problem is that the DREAM act is only supposed to apply to illegals already in America who grew up here and have no ties to foreign countries.
The gang members are a big problem.
“Gang members with face tattoos openly tell Border Patrol agents about the murders they committed in Central America. Immigration laws prevent agents from detaining these bragging killers,” said Stockman. “Under Obama’s amnesty scheme these killer gang members are set loose in the United States to later get amnesty. Obama doesn’t care. The SECURITY Act puts a stop to that by detaining gang members and stopping Obama’s plan to give them amnesty.”
“These illegals say they are coming because Obama promised them welfare benefits. The invasion stops once Congress passes this bill, which cuts off welfare benefits to these illegals even if Obama issues an Executive Order giving them amnesty,” said Stockman.
(Corrected 10:05 AM)
Dems cry ‘obstructionists’ while House passed over 350 bills that sit on Harry Reid’s desk
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed 356 bills that are languishing in the Senate, U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn. said Friday.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has ignored the legislation, even though much of it passed the House with key support from Democrats The Blaze reported.
“We are calling on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to get off his self-constructed throne, roll up his sleeves and get back to work.” Blackburn said in a post she co-wrote Thursday with U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-N.C., for HerBlog. “Real lives, a real economy, and a true American recovery hang in the balance.”
Read more at BIZPAC Review
Using communication devices while driving illegal in Coconino County
(APRIL 2014)
COCONINO COUNTY – In April of this year Coconino County passed an ordinance regulating the use of portable communications devices while driving. Included are all manner of devices such as PDAs, laptops, pagers and other electronic communications devices. That ordinance was amended by the passage of Ordinance No. 2014-09 (PDF).
Although installed and handheld two-way radio devices are not included in the definitions, they are covered in the exemptions to the ordinance. A technical reading of the ordinance would make the use of family radio service (FRS) devices illegal as they do not require a license for use.
The only devices allowed to be used are hands-free mobile phones and GPS units programmed prior to driving. Texting while driving is completely banned.
The ordinance reads:
A person shall not drive a motor vehicle while using a portable communications device to engage in a call unless that device is configured to allow hands-free listening and talking, and is used exclusively in that manner while driving. Texting and typing while operating a motor vehicle are banned.
Exemptions include:
- When the driver uses a hands-free mobile device.
- When the purpose of the call is to communicate an emergency to a police or fire department, a hospital or physician’s office, or an ambulance corps.
- When operating an authorized law enforcement or emergency vehicle in the performance of official duties.
- When a driver holds a valid amateur radio operator license issued or any license issued by the Federal Communications Commission or the driver uses a two-way radio, including radios used in the Citizens Band (CB) service.
- When a person is driving a school bus or transit vehicle that is subject to Arizona Revised Statutes or United State Department of Transportation regulations.
- When a person is driving a motor vehicle on private property.
- When a driver has pulled off of the traveled portion of the roadway in a safe and legal location and placed the vehicle in park in order to operate a handheld portable communications device.
Texting while driving has been a known problem for years. Cell phone companies and State departments of transportation have produced ads warning of the dangers.
The fine for the offense is $100 increasing to $250 if you are involved in an accident. Not to mention that the offenders insurance rate may increase. It may, however, extend to a higher cost. A teen in Massachusetts was convicted of vehicular homicide in 2012. He was convicted to the maximum penalty of 2-1/2 years.
(JUNE 6, 2012)
Teens being distracted by other teens while driving may be as much of a problem. An attempt by Arizona to address this situation was defeated a few years ago. The State of Arizona has no current statewide ban on texting or the use of cell phones while driving.
According to the June 4 Williams News, the Williams Police Department has chosen not to enforce the ban because of the difficulty in enforcement.
Williams receives a weather respite
Rain drops rippled puddles this morning.
WILLIAMS – The Zip Line ride in downtown Williams opened this afternoon as the city received a respite from the hailstorm of yesterday. The rain continued throughout the night and into this morning.
No. That green thing is a real softball.
The good news is that the ground is so saturated that puddles are forming throughout the town. This limits the fire danger considerably. This is particularly helpful since the Kaibab Forest service plans to continue managed burns. Patches of hail remain from the storm yesterday.
The forecast shows a 40% chance of thunderstorms throughout the night which has already started as of this writing. The low is expected to be about 54 with south southeast wind around 8 mph.
Here’s mud in your face.
Tuesday and Wednesday are expected to be clear with a chance of thunderstorms beginning again on Thursday.
The weather for Flagstaff is essentially identical and the weather service has issued a warning about possible localized flooding for the area.
Williams experiences global cooling
Williams drenched by rain and hail.
Williams was enjoying a warm day when the rain and hail hit about 1 pm. Electricity went out for about a minute. The ground was still so warm that in some areas steam began to rise creating a thin fog. The temperature dropped drastically and as of this writing is still cool.