FOR RELEASE: October 18, 2006

An important step toward securing the southern border of the United States has been taken.

The House and Senate passed, and the President signed, legislation that will erect 700 miles of double-walled fencing along portions of the southern border. I was the first member of Congress to introduce legislation calling for a fence along all of the southern border. That bill was introduced on October 19, 2005. It drew 41 co-sponsors. My thinking then, as it is now, is that we must secure our porous borders in order to greatly restrict the flow of would-be terrorists, weapons, drugs and illegal aliens.

As the importance of border security gained momentum over the past year, the idea of building a fence was supported more broadly by U. S. citizens. As is often the case with legislation in Congress, several bills can be blended into a larger piece of legislation. That is what happened to my bill, and it was found that some 700 miles of fencing was the amount that could make it through both houses of Congress and gain the President’s signature.

That is not to say that the rest of the southern border will go unguarded. The bill that now has been signed into law says in addition to $1.2 billion for the border fencing, vehicle barriers, technology and infrastructure, $2.27 billion dollars will be spent on the Border Patrol. This money will help add an additional 1,500 new Border Patrol, raising the total of Border Patrol agents to 14,800. These agents will be supported by unmanned aerial vehicles and other technology in their surveillance of the border, in addition to support from members of the national guard.

Further, the bill provides $5.2 billion for the Secure Border Initiative. This is a priority of the Department of Homeland Security; it will help provide the tools and personnel needed to prevent terrorists and other criminals from crossing our border.

Also, the legislation enacts criminals penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment for individuals who knowingly construct or finance the construction of an unauthorized tunnel across an international border of the United States. Individuals who recklessly permit the construction of such a tunnel on their property are now subject to imprisonment of up to ten years, and individuals who are caught using such a tunnel to smuggle illegal immigrants, contraband, drugs, weapons or terrorists are subject to twice the penalty that would have been imposed otherwise.

Please keep in touch with me on issues that are important to you. You may write Congressman Virgil Goode, 70 East Court Street, Room 215, Rocky Mount, VA 24151; or fax to 1-540-484-1459; or call toll-free to the Danville office, 1-800-535-4008.