Press release from the office of U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales
Click here to watch Congressman Tony Gonzales’ floor speech on the PEARL Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Tony Gonzales’ (TX-23) bill, the PEARL Act, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. Congressman Gonzales’ bipartisan legislation
allows acquiring dogs from local shelters to be trained up as support canines for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) personnel.
“The PEARL Act is named after a special, and newly retired, support canine that helped our Border Patrol Agents get through some very tough times,” said Congressman Tony Gonzales. “This bill will give our law enforcement one more tool to improve mental health outcomes at CBP. I am grateful to see this legislation pass in the U.S. House of Representatives, and I look forward to getting this bill signed into law.”
“With violence against federal law enforcement on the rise and as CBP faces the lingering impacts of the Biden-Harris border crisis, it is vital for our Border Patrol agents and CBP officers to have access to the mental health resources they need and deserve for their service. I applaud the House’s passage of Congressman Gonzales’ PEARL Act today, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to do the same so we can better support the courageous men and women who have answered the call to protect our borders,” said Congressman Andrew Garbarino, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee.
