Poe Introduces Borderlands Safety Act

Congressman Ted Poe (TX-02) introduced H.R. 1277, the Southern Borderlands Public Safety Communications Act, at the request of the office of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. “This bill continues our efforts to enhance security on the border region by improving communications, “said Poe. “It was very obvious to me during my recent visit to Southern Arizona that there are too many areas where cell phones simply do not work. We have the same problem in parts of Texas. Congresswoman Giffords and I believe that if the Federal Government is not going to protect its citizens who live in fear each day on the border, the least it can do is give them the resources to call for help if they are in danger.” This legislation is the result of a problem that Congresswoman Giffords has been working to address since the March 2010 murder of one of her constituents, rancher Rob Krentz. It authorizes the Secretary of Homeland Security to make grants available for public-private partnerships that finance equipment and infrastructure to improve the public safety of persons who are residents of rural areas of the United States-Mexico border by enhancing access to mobile communications. It has been reported that Rob Krentz was in an area with no cell phone service when he was attacked by suspected drug smugglers. His killer remains at large...more