WASHINGTON– U.S. Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, today praised Congressional action on the Fiscal Year 2007 Homeland Security spending measure, which was approved by both the Senate and House of Representatives late Friday evening.  The bill stands to be the second appropriations bill of the year signed into law by the President along with the Department of Defense Appropriations bill.  The signing ceremony is planned for Wednesday.

Senator Gregg commented, “Protecting our border and making sure that we know who is coming into this country is one of the critical things we need to do as a federal government.  That is why I was glad we were able to pass the bill that I Chair and that I put together, which significantly increases the number of border agents that we have on the border, the number of detention beds so that when we catch people we don’t have to let them go, and dramatically increases our commitment to the Coast Guard and to the number of aircraft we have flying to protect and secure our border.  This was a major piece of legislation, one of only two appropriations bills which actually passed this session. I was able to get it through late Friday night and as a result, we will now have in place the resources necessary to begin the process of securing our borders and making sure that people coming into our country are coming in legally and coming in for appropriate purposes and aren’t going to do us any harm.”

Since Senator Gregg assumed the Chairmanship of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, he has aggressively increased commitment and resources for securing the border, addressing the threat of weapons of mass destruction and increasing intelligence capability. 

 Under his leadership, over the past two years, funding for border, port and maritime security has increased by $5.3 billion for a total of $32 billion, including adding $1.5 billion for border security fencing, technology and infrastructure.  These increases include: adding over 4,000 new Border Patrol agents; adding 9,000 new detention beds; adding more than 1,300 new detention personnel; and increasing the number of Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry inspections to over 18,000.  Substantial funding for the Coast Guard includes adding $7.6 billion for border security operations and $2.1 billion for the acquisition of new ships, boats, helicopters and planes.

Senator Gregg also ensured that the National Domestic Nuclear Detention Office has the resources it needs to detect nuclear and radiological threats within the United States, with almost $800 million in funding.  This includes $303 million for radiation portal monitors to be located throughout the United States and overseas for use in cargo inspection. 

          Hear Senator Gregg’s comments at http://gregg.senate.gov or by calling 1-800-545-1267 and accessing mailbox 332.

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