Giffords outreach director speaks to local Democratic women

“The checkpoint; it’s an enormously contentious issue — especially in this area.”

“Local law has to take over for what the federal government isn’t doing; it’s an enormous cost for the region.”

This were statements made by Jacquelyn Jackson, outreach director for Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, D-Ariz., who spoke at the Democratic Women in Action’s annual tea Saturday.

The hot topic was Giffords’ announcement issued the day before stating that she won’t oppose a permanent checkpoint.

Jackson said Giffords’ statement calls for further study to be done by the General Accounting Office on the effectiveness of permanent checkpoints and also moving the checkpoint site six miles south of the original preferred site.

Additionally, Giffords supports a smaller checkpoint facility with the latest technology than the one currently planned and putting as much money and protection at the border as possible.

“Is that her position?” a woman in the audience asked.

“Absolutely,” Jackson responded, adding that federal funding is available for an interim checkpoint but not for a permanent one.

“There’s more alien smuggling and drugs in this sector than anywhere else… 10 percent of those coming through are criminals,” Jackson said.

She explained that Congresswoman Giffords inherited this interim checkpoint issue from Rep. Jim Kolbe who served 11 terms. Kolbe had language implemented so that the trailer was moved every seven to 14 days. When Giffords tried to reinstate the Kolbe language, which was eliminated when he retired, it was struck down.

Commenting on the workgroups that were formed by Giffords to study the checkpoint issue, Jackson called it “spectacular work of the public in action.”

One woman in the audience told of a recent encounter in Arivaca where a woman who lives by herself on many acres had guns pointed at her by federal agents who would not identify themselves. It was later learned the agents were from ICE—Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

On other issues, Jackson commented on need for campaign reform but said it probably won’t happen for a long time. She mentioned Giffords supports troops coming home from Iraq and said Giffords recently toured Tucson’s VA hospital and found it to be 180 degrees different than the dire conditions found at Walter Reed Army Hospital in Bethesda, Md.

A handout by Jackson listed nine House bills Giffords is cosponsoring that impact women. They include H.R. 819, a comprehensive bill to improve access to women’s health care and expanded access to preventive health care, H.R. 1014 to bill to improve prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular disease and H.R. 1157 authorizing $200,000,000 for the National Institutes of Health to develop and operate research centers regarding environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of breast cancer.

Ellen Sussman is a freelance writer for the Green Valley News. Contact her at ellen2414@cox.net.