Appropriations Bills

WASHINGTON – Tonight in an address to the nation, President Bush announced his plan to deploy National Guard troops to the southern border.

Dave Obey (D-WI), Ranking Member of the House Appropriations Committee, issued the following statement.

“Since September 11^th, Democrats have tried five times to increase funding for border security, including increases to the number of border patrol agents. In every instance we were opposed by the White House and voted down by House Republicans. If they had not done so there would’ve been much less need for the President’s plan to place National Guard personnel at the border. This plan puts an unfair strain on military families that have already given so much in Iraq.”

QUICK FACTS

• The Intelligence Reform Act called for 2,000 new border patrol agents, 8,000 new detention beds, and 800 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents each year between 2006 and 2010.



• The 2007 Homeland Security appropriations bill that was marked up in subcommittee last Thursday and that will be marked up in full committee on Wednesday falls 800 border patrol agents, 3,130 beds, and about 500 ICE agents short of the authorization in 2007.



• In total (including shortfalls in 2006), we are 1,800 border patrol agents short and over 9,000 beds short.

Democrats have tried five times to increase funding for border security:

1. $223 million: 2002 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill, (Defense Appropriation Bill) HR 3338, PL 107-117
   November 28, 2001



2. $300 million: 2004 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, HR 2555, PL 108-90
   June 24, 2003



3. $750 million: 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, HR 4567, PL 108-334
   June 16, 2004



4. $400 million: 2006 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, HR 2360, PL 109-90
   May 17, 2005



5. $400 million: 2006 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill, HR 4939, PL 109-391
   March 16, 2006

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