Plattsburgh, NY -- Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton today joined Mayor Stewart, Clinton County Sheriff David Favro and Plattsburgh Chief of Police Desmond Racicot for a tour of the Plattsburgh Air Marine Branch of the Northern Border Air Wing. Senator Clinton secured $200 million in the FY 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill for five new installations -- including Plattsburgh -- that make up the Northern Border Air Wing. The original FY 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations bill only included $35 million for the five facilities, but Senator Clinton fought for an additional $200 million, for a total of $235 million, to provide critical surveillance, interdiction and investigative capability along the Northern Border.

"Our border with Canada is the longest, most peaceful and open border in the world and we want to keep it that way. Unfortunately, security measures on our northern border have suffered from a lack of resources and having the Plattsburgh Air and Marine Branch will now help level the playing field," Senator Clinton said.

"The Northern Border Air Wing will be essential to our efforts in protecting and securing the border. It also represents a tremendous potential boost to the Plattsburgh area," Senator Clinton said. "Plattsburgh's location makes it an ideal place for border security efforts and we will continue our efforts to support this important mission."

Senator Clinton has long championed greater funding for New York's Northern Border, including the Champlain Lacolle Border Crossing. She has also called for the creation of a Northern Border Co-coordinator who would be devoted to northern border security issues and serve as the point of contact on northern border issues for federal agencies, congressional offices and the Canadian government.

Last year, Senator Clinton co-sponsored legislation with Senator John McCain (R-AZ) to provide the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with more than $4 billion over the next four years to increase funding for border control initiatives as well as provide border patrol offices with the most advanced, cutting edge technology available. The legislation would also create pilot programs that will utilize and increase aerial and ground surveillance technology so that borders such as New York's will have access to the most advance technologies available.

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