Washington, D.C.  -  The Department of Homeland Security’s $250 million camera system that monitors remote areas of the nation’s borders with Mexico and Canada has serious managerial and operational problems and should be fixed before being expanded, Congressman Mike Rogers said today.

Rogers, who is Chairman of the Homeland Security subcommittee on Management, Integration, and Oversight, introduced today H.R. 4284, the Secure Border Initiative Financial Accountability Act of 2005. The bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General to conduct reviews of each contract over $20 million in the new multi-billion dollar high-tech camera system planned to help monitor the borders.

“These cameras are an essential part of our national security,” Rogers said. “But the system has a record of significant operational and managerial problems that hurts its ability to monitor illegal immigrants and drug smugglers. It is my hope this legislation will help the Department address these issues, so its replacement will do a better job helping the Border Patrol monitor rural and isolated areas.”

In June, Rogers held a hearing about the mismanagement of the camera system. Results from that hearing included contracting irregularities involving millions of dollars, cost-overruns, and cameras that did not work properly or were never installed. Rogers visited the U.S.-Mexico border in August and saw first-hand the operation of the cameras.

“We have a crisis situation on our borders, and this type of technology can be helpful for slowing the flow of illegal immigrants,” Rogers said. “I fully support the Department’s efforts to expand this system, but we need to make sure taxpayer dollars are being spent wisely in the process.”

Rogers said Homeland Security Chairman Peter King (R-NY) and Ranking Member Bennie Thompson (D-MS) are co-sponsors of the legislation. As part of his border security efforts, Rogers also introduced this week legislation to increase the number of canine detection teams used by the Federal government, like those trained by Auburn University in East Alabama.

 

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