IV Post

Washington, DC - Congressman Raul M. Grijalva (D-AZ) has announced the witnesses for the Congressional field hearing on April 28th in Brownsville, Texas.

“Walls and Waivers:  Expedited Construction of the Southern Border Wall and the Collateral Impacts on Communities and the Environment.” is a field hearing that will focus on the construction of the border wall and the impacts it will pose to border communities and the environment.

The hearing will be held on Monday, April 28, 2008 at 10:00 AM, in the Lecture Hall of the Science, Engineering and Technology Building (SET-B) at the University of Texas-Brownsville.

The witnesses testifying at the hearing are: Rick Schultz, National Borderland Coordinator, Department of the Interior; Ronald D. Vitiello, Chief Patrol Agent, Rio Grande Valley Sector, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Hon. Chad Foster, Mayor, Eagle Pass, Texas; Chairman Ned Norris, Jr., Tohono O’odham Nation; Dr. Juliet Garcia, President, University of Texas-Brownsville; the Most Rev. Raymundo J. Pena, Bishop of Brownsville; Laura Peterson, Senior Policy Analyst, National Taxpayer’s Union; John McClung, President and CEO, Texas Produce Association; Ms. Betty Perez, local land owner, and Ken Merritt, former U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Project Leader (Ret.).

The minority has requested the following witnesses: Rosemary Jenks, Director of Government Relations, NumbersUSA; Zack Taylor, former Supervisory Border Patrol Agent (Ret.); and Joan Neuhaus Schaan, Executive Director, Houston-Harris County Regional Homeland Security Advisory Council.

The hearing is a joint effort of Rep. Grijalva’s Subcommittee and the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans, chaired by Congresswoman Madeleine Z. Bordallo (Guam-at large). The other Members of Congress attending the hearing are Water and Power Subcommittee Chairwoman Napolitano (D-CA); Intelligence Committee Chairman Reyes (D-TX); House Armed Service Readiness Subcommittee Chairman Ortiz (D-TX); Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific and the Global Environment Chairman Faleomavaega (D-AS); House Armed Service Ranking Member Hunter (R-CA); and Representative Tancredo (R-CO).

Story courtesy of Yuma News Now