Senator Hutchison -- Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2005
CONTACT: Chris Paulitz

SENATOR HUTCHISON ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $322 MILLION FOR 1,000 NEW BORDER PATROL AGENTS

WASHINGTON, DC -- Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced the committee has approved $322.9 million for 1,000 new border patrol agents, more than 500 support positions and technology and constructions costs associated with the new border positions. The funding was included in the Fiscal Year 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations spending bill after Sen. Hutchison persistently raised concerns over border security.

In May, Sen. Hutchison, a Fiscal Year 2005 Emergency Defense Supplemental bill conferee, helped broker a deal included in the emergency defense bill which provided 500 border patrol agents, 50 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigators, 168 detention officers and 1,950 detention beds. The 500 new border patrol agents brings this year’s total to 1,500 new border patrol agents secured by Sen. Hutchison.

“We can’t allow our borders to be a weakness as we work to protect our cities, towns and neighborhoods from terrorist threats,” Sen. Hutchison said. “Texas and other border states bear a significant burden as the frontline of our nation’s defense. I worked to ensure border patrol funding was made a priority and the addition of 1,500 new border patrol agents this year is a marked improvement to our border security.”

Senator Hutchison has been working throughout this year’s budget and appropriations process to secure more funding to protect our borders. In March 2005, Sen. Hutchison and Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) authored an amendment to the Senate Budget Resolution that would create 2,000 new border patrol agents without increasing nondiscretionary spending. The amendment, if adhered to, would bring this year’s number of new border patrol agents to 2,000 as authorized by the intelligence reform bill. The bill was authorized by Congress to provide for 2,000 new agents a year over five years, totaling 10,000 border patrol agents.

The Homeland Security Appropriations legislation approved today must be passed by the full Senate, reconciled with the U.S. House or Representatives’ bill and signed into law by President Bush.