House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA), who has been conducting hearings into the massive “Gun Walker” scandal, introduced the Brian A. Terry Memorial Act of 2011 last week to commemorate one of Gun Walker’s victims.
Terry was a U.S. Border Patrol agent, former police officer, and Marine Corps veteran, whose murder in December 2010 by a gang of border-crossing criminals was linked to Operation Fast and Furious, an ATF operation that pushed American guns into Mexico. Terry’s killers were armed with at least one AK-47 provided by Fast and Furious. The incident caused ATF supervisors to panic and shut down their outrageous operation, leading to the construction of the Justice Department stone wall that Issa is still laboring to dismantle, brick by brick.
Issa wants to rename the Border Patrol station in Bisbee, Arizona after Agent Terry. "Our nation's Border Patrol agents have a distinguished history of working to protect our borders,” Issa declared. “Agent Terry, who served our nation through his military service and his career with the Border Patrol, gave his life defending this country. Naming the Bisbee station in his honor recognizes his sacrifice, service and heroism.”
Issa’s legislation is strongly supported by Arizona Representative Gabrielle Giffords, whose district includes the Bisbee station. Her chief of staff, Pia Carusone, said, “In the past half-century, 70 U.S. Border Patrol agents – including Agent Terry – have been killed while protecting our nation. Congresswoman Giffords has led the fight for increased border security so Agent Terry and others will not have died in vain.”
A statement from Terry’s family said, “From the very start, Brian loved his job as a Border Patrol agent and loved his fellow agents. The new Naco Station named in Brian's honor will serve as a lasting memory for all those who knew Brian."
The House Oversight and Government Reform committee prepared a video honoring Terry, including a poem he wrote about his dedication to duty. Some officers of our government failed to honor their oaths of service to the American people on the night of December 15, 2010… but Agent Brian Terry of the United States Border Patrol’s elite Search, Trauma and Rescue Team most certainly was not one of them.
