Senate Floor Speech
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
July 13, 2000 -- Page: S6670

MRS. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, shortly before the July 4th recess, the Senate passed an Emergency Supplemental spending measure as part of the Military Construction Appropriations Bill. This measure dealt with a number of critical needs, including aid for fire victims in New Mexico and funds to continue the war on drugs in Colombia. I am pleased that this legislation also included $12 million to reimburse county and municipal governments along the U.S.-Mexico border for the high costs that they have incurred in handling drug prosecutions and incarcerations for the federal government.

Dramatic increases in manpower and resources for the Border Patrol and Customs Service has meant dramatic increases in drug and alien smuggling and illegal crossing apprehensions. Our border counties, which have handled these cases for the federal government for many years, have borne heavy costs of these prosecutions with no reimbursement from the federal government. These are some of the poorest counties and communities in the nation, and they can no longer afford to pay the costs associated with an expanded caseload they are handling for the federal government.

Specifically, this provision will enable the United States Attorneys to assist border county and municipal governments in the Southwest Border states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California with their court costs, courtroom technology needs, the building of prisoner holding spaces, administrative staff, and indigent defense costs that are associated with the handling and processing of drug cases that would otherwise fall under the jurisdiction of the Federal government.

I appreciate the help and commitment of Senator Gregg, Chairman of the Commerce-Justice-State Appropriations Subcommittee, and Senator Stevens, the Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, for working so closely with me to address the needs of the Southwest border. I also want to thank Jim Morhard, Staff Director of the Commerce-Justice-State panel, and Kevin Linskey, for their hard work on this matter. Jim and Kevin serve both the Committee and Senator Gregg very well, and their efforts on the staff level are making a difference in improving the lives of people living along the U.S.-Mexico border.