Mr. JONES of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, today is day 404 of incarceration for two former United States Border Patrol agents. Agents Ramos and Compean were convicted in March of 2006 for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler who brought 743 pounds of marijuana across our border into Texas.

These two decorated Border Patrol agents who were doing their duty to protect the American people from an illegal alien drug smuggler have now served more than a year of their 11- and 12-year prison sentences.

On December 3, 2007, the Fifth United States Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans heard oral arguments for the agents' appeal. During the hearing, one of the three judges on the case, Judge E. Grady Jolly, said, ``It does seem to me that the government overreacted here. For some reason, this one got out of hand.'' A ruling on their appeal is now expected any day, and the American people are anxiously awaiting the result.

Many of us in Congress and millions of American citizens feel that the United States Attorney's Office in the Western District of Texas was not justified in indicting these agents.

Nothing can erase the suffering these agents have undergone and the many months they have spent in prison away from their families. However, a judgment in favor of Ramos and Compean in this appeal would be the first act of justice these agents have seen since their arrest.

Madam Speaker, the injustice of this case should not go unexamined. A number of days ago, I hand-delivered a letter to JOHN CONYERS, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a man I greatly respect, to request a hearing on this case. There have been many letters sent to the White House by Members of Congress and the American people calling on the President to pardon these agents. As of this time, the White House has not even responded to any of these calls from the American people. That is why it is critical that Chairman Conyers hold hearings to examine the injustice. The comments by the appeals judge are justification enough for the House Judiciary Committee to review this case to determine exactly why this case ``got out of hand.''

Madam Speaker, as the American people eagerly await a ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, my prayers are with the agents and their families. It is my hope that the judge's decision will rectify this gross miscarriage of justice, and faith in our judicial system may be restored.

Madam Speaker, before I close tonight, I would like to say to the families of Agents Ramos and Compean that many of us here in the House of Representatives of both parties have not forgotten this injustice that has befallen your families, and we promise to do our best to see the injustice become a justice for the Compean and Ramos families.