Question: What do they call "fire and brimstone of hell" in Arizona? Answer: "August." The extreme heat of the American Southwest and ensuring the protection of Border Patrol agents and equipment from it was the latest bill introduced by Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ). This bill, known as the Border Weather Resiliency Act, has successfully passed the Homeland Security Committee, a crucial step in the legislative process.
Sen. Sinema's bipartisan Border Weather Resiliency Act, a collaborative effort she introduced with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), is a proactive step. It mandates Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to devise strategies to safeguard the health and safety of staff and equipment under the relentless desert sun as record heat waves affect the Southwest.
Additionally, the ongoing border crisis has required more agents to spend increased time outside managing hundreds or even thousands of migrants at the border, which in turn means prolonged exposure to extreme heat.
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After all, Sen. Sinema noted that last year, the Federal government logged 28 natural weather disasters, each causing $1 billion in equipment damage, and the five years from 2016 to 2021 had seen billions more in repairs. Sinema blamed the lack of a unified, coherent strategy or updated protocols for CBP for allowing such issues to occur, creating the impetus for her bill.
"Our bill identifying real solutions to address and mitigate the risks of extreme heat impacting our Customs and Border Protection personnel and the equipment keeping Arizona safe and secure is one step closer to becoming law," the Arizona Senator said in her press release.
Sinema and Sen. Cornyn introduced the bill in mid-July, almost one month ago today.
The ongoing border crisis and its effects on Customs and Border Patrol have interested Arizona's congressional delegation. In June, Representative Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) demanded answers about overtime pay for Border Patrol agents.
"As you know, our agents are overworked and overwhelmed with the number of migrants they are encountering this year. Additionally, morale at USBP is at an all-time low, and recent reports indicate a large number of early retirements. Ensuring agents have the most up-to-date and accurate information regarding their pay and benefits is crucial," said Rep. Ciscomani.
