Dr. Coburn Commends Signing Of Secure Fence Act
October 26, 2006
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) released the following statement after the President signed into law the Secure Fence Act. Dr. Coburn voted in favor of the bill when it passed by an 80-19 vote in September.
“The American public has demanded the government take action to secure our nation’s borders and the provisions within the Secure Fence Act meet that demand,” Dr. Coburn said. “In addition to fencing and physical barriers, the bill employs the use of state-of-the-art technologies such as unmanned aerial drones, ground sensors and cameras to provide for control of our borders. Border security is not only about stemming the growing tide of illegal immigration; it’s about protecting our national security. While there is still work to be done to secure our country, these measures are a step in the right direction of protecting our nation.”
Through the use of surveillance equipment, state-of-the-art technology and physical barriers and fencing, the Secure Fence Act of 2006 (H.R. 6061) is aimed at providing control of America’s borders.
Specifically, the bill would:
- Direct the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to construct 700 miles of fence along the southern border of the United States.
- Provide for increased surveillance along the border through the use of unmanned aerial drones, ground-based sensors, satellites, radar coverage and cameras.
- The bill calls for vehicle barriers to be constructed along the border to prevent unlawful border entry and to facilitate lawful entry at checkpoints monitored by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
- The bill also requires the department to annually report to Congress the progress on border control.
- Requires DHS to assess vulnerabilities on the northern border.
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