Tancredo Passes Bill to Free Ramos and Compean

7/26/2007





(Washington, D.C.) - Presidential candidate Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) last night successfully added an amendment to an annual spending bill that will prevent using funds to enforce the judgment or sentences imposed by a federal judge in the case of U.S. vs. Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. This bill, if adopted by the Senate and signed into law will free the two border agents who have been at the center of national attention for many months.

"Last night we sent a clear message to the Administration to put the pressure back on criminals who smuggle drugs across our border rather than the people who protect us from them," said Tancredo, whose amendment was attached last night to a bill funding the operation of the Departments of Justice and Commerce.

Tancredo pointed out that Article I of the U.S. Constitution provides Congress with absolute authority over all spending matters. By blocking the use of any funds to enforce the guilty verdict, or to impose the egregious sentence handed down in the Ramos case, Tancredo's amendment would have the effect of freeing the two agents from federal custody.

Tancredo also noted that while the approach is unconventional, it is not unprecedented. He cited a previous example in 2005 in which the House approved an amendment that prevented the administration from using any funding to enforce a court decision barring the display of the Ten Commandments in a public building.

For a copy of the release, please visit our website at:

http://teamtancredo.org/tancredo_news_press.asp