The men and women who serve the United States by protecting the border play a critical role in keeping Missouri and our nation safe. Their jobs aren’t just focused on making sure we know who’s entering our country, they’re essential in our efforts to crack down on the deadly flow of drugs into the U.S. that too often make their way into Missouri communities.
But right now, thousands of border patrol agent and customs and border protection officer jobs are going unfilled. One commonsense way that we can make sure we’ve got more boots on the ground at our borders is by removing barriers to recruiting qualified military veterans and law enforcement officials.
That’s the focus of my bipartisan Boots on the Border Act. This bill makes it easier for already vetted former members of the military and law enforcement to join Customs and Border Protection to help secure our border. I’ve teamed up with my Republican colleagues in the Senate to support this bill, and recently it was approved in the Senate Homeland Security Committee, where I serve as the top-ranking Democrat.
From growing up hearing stories of the Army from my dad—a World War II veteran—to working hand-in-hand with local police officers to put criminals behind bars when I was the Jackson County prosecutor, it’s clear we should be doing all we can to expand job opportunities for former military and law enforcement personnel. Especially when we’re talking about filling positions that are crucial for our national security.
This bipartisan bill helps expand the pool of qualified applicants for these jobs by eliminating a duplicative polygraph test for veterans and federal law enforcement officials who have already gone through extensive background checks, and local and state law enforcement officers who have already taken a polygraph test to get their current position.
Members of the military and law enforcement officials have dedicated their lives to protecting our country. Now many are eager to continue doing so by protecting our borders—let’s make sure they have the chance to do so.
Senator Claire McCaskill is a senior member of the Homeland Security and Armed Services Committees in the Senate.