Anti-terrorism, homeland security bill sent to President
Senate also passes border fence bill
September 29, 2006
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., voted in favor of legislation that would help improve the nation’s defense against domestic and international terrorism and secure the borders.
The Senate passed the conference report for H.R. 5441, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2007, today by a voice vote. The House also passed the measure. The President is expected to sign the bill.
"Border security is a top priority when it comes to defending and securing our homeland. This bill has added measures to help stop the influx of illegal immigration," said Enzi.
The bill would provide about $34.8 billion in funding for the Department of Homeland Security. More than $8 billion is designated for Customs and Border Protection, about $6 billion for the Transportation Security Administration, around $8 billion for the Coast Guard, $3 billion for first responder grants and assistance which also include state and local homeland security programs, and roughly $2.5 billion for emergency preparedness and response for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Enzi was particularly pleased that the bill included funding for 1,500 new Border Patrol agents. These new border agents increase the total number to more than 14,800. The bill contains about $1.2 billion for fencing infrastructure and technology along the borders, and another $1.8 billion in emergency appropriations for border security. To close a loophole, language was also included in the bill making it a crime to knowingly construct or finance an unauthorized tunnel through a U.S. international border.
Additional Fencing
The Senate also passed a bill this evening that would authorize the addition of hundreds of miles of fencing in specific sites where illegal immigration is most extreme along the southern U.S. border.
The Senate passed the Secure Fence Act, H.R. 6061, tonight by a vote of 80-19.
"The Secure Fence bill would further protect our borders," said Enzi. "A 700-mile fence targeting the most trespassed areas is not a cure-all, but it is an essential improvement over a wide-open border. This is one link, a basic link, in the chain of a better immigration system."
The House passed the bill on Sept. 14 by a vote of 283-138, 1 present. The President is expected to sign the bill.
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