Oversight Passes Bill to Ensure Fair Pay for Border Patrol Agents
WASHINGTON—Today the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a markup of [H.R. 2252], authored by Congressman Will Hurd (TX-23). The legislation passed out of the Committee with bipartisan support.
Specifically, H.R. 2252 clarifies components of a new pay scale for U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) agents by making clear to the Department of Homeland Security that agents will continue to receive overtime pay until the new pay system is fully implemented. Recent changes made to the Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO) system within USBP are the result of legislation passed unanimously in the 113th Congress by Chairman Jason Chaffetz (UT-03).
The Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection fundamentally misunderstood the intent of the new law and made a decision in April 2015 that would have required CBP agents to pay back overtime pay. Their decision also meant that CBP agents would not receive pay for overtime earned between April 19 and May 16, 2015.
“The men and women who serve as Border Patrol Agents are hardworking and dedicated law enforcement officials,” said Hurd, whose district includes over 800 miles of border between the U.S. and Mexico. “They often work in harsh conditions, sometimes putting their own lives at risk, in order to protect our nation and their communities. They and their families deserve our support and the security of a steady, dependable monthly income. We have heard from those same hard working agents about how this would impact them and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to solve this problem.”
“I am grateful to Congressman Hurd for his leadership on Border Patrol issues and for his commitment to the agents who protect our borders. These men and women work hard to uphold our nation’s laws and keep our communities safe. Congressman Hurd’s legislation will help ensure that the Border Patrol pay system is reliable and consistent,” said Chaffetz.