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Border Fence funds gutted in
omnibus bill. Fax your Rep.
This new fax has been posted
in your Action Buffet based on your answers to the Interest
Survey.
You can find this fax by proceeding to
http://www.numbersusa.com/faxes?ID=9327
The House
Omnibus Appropriations amendment to H.R. 2764, the State, Foreign
Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act of 2008, passed
by a vote of 253 to 154 to 1 on December 17, 2007 at
10:20PM.
The
bill will allow the Department of
Homeland Security (DHS) to build a single-layer fence instead of the
two-layer fence as outlined in the 2006 Secure Fence Act. The new
provision also allows DHS to decide whether to build an actual fence
or use other security devices in any specific border
area.
Your
representative voted against the omnibus bill, which includes many
other spending measures. He/She is not responsible for the gutting
of the Secure Fence Act, but please express your outrage that
Congressional leaders sneaked this provision into this gigantic
bill. Their actions have resulted in failure of this Congress to
fund the fence to completion.
FAX your representative and make sure they know you're
angry!
Excerpts from the Washington Times (click
here for the full article):
Congress last night passed a giant new spending bill that
undermines current plans for a U.S.-Mexico border fence, allowing
the Homeland Security Department to build a single-tier barrier
rather than the two-tier version that has worked in
California....
....But the measures did not pass before House
Republicans blasted the changes to
the border fence....
....The 2006 Secure Fence Act
specifically called for "two layers of reinforced fencing" and
listed five specific sections of border where it should be
installed. The new spending bill removes the two-tier requirement
and the list of locations.
House Democrats said they
were just adopting the Senate version, which was backed by a
bipartisan group of border-state senators and passed the Senate
several times this year.
Sen. Kay Bailey
Hutchison, the Texas Republican who has led the charge to change the
2006 law, said she wants to give Homeland Security more flexibility
and wants local officials and landowners to be
consulted.
"Senator Hutchison believes that Customs and Border
Protection can better decide how to utilize limited resources to
secure the border than a congressman from Maine," said Matt Mackowiak, Mrs. Hutchison's
spokesman. He said double-tier fencing has worked in San Diego, but
it might not be the right solution for the entire fence.
But
Rep. Peter T. King, who sponsored the Secure Fence Act, said if the
goal was to give DHS flexibility, the senators have
failed.
"This is either a
blatant oversight or a deliberate attempt to disregard the border
security of our country," the New
York Republican said. "As it's
currently written, the omnibus language guts the Secure Fence Act
almost entirely. Quite simply, it is
unacceptable."
The spending
bill must pass the House and Senate this week, and the Senate is
expected to take up the House bill today....
....Rep. Duncan
Hunter, who crafted the language to build double-tier fencing in
California, said the changes would be "a
significant step backwards."
"Pulling back from the double-fence mandate is
a prescription for failure that will only allow more smugglers,
criminals and illegal aliens to enter the United States through our
land border with Mexico," said the California Republican, who also is running
for his party's presidential nomination.
The new bill
would bring the requirements closer in line with what the Department
of Homeland Security has sought. DHS officials have said they will
finish 370 miles of pedestrian fencing and another 200 miles of
vehicle barriers by next year, and have said the Border Patrol
should determine the locations.
"We're committed to building
this fence," said DHS spokeswoman Laura Keehner, who said it will be
a mix of single- and double-tier fencing, vehicle barriers, cameras
and other technology.
More details:
Stripped-Favorably
- No money for Mexican truckers to operate
beyond current commercial zones in the United
States
Stripped-Unfortunately
- The "no strings attached" $3 billion in
funding promised for the Secure Fence Act after it was removed
during the conference on the Defense Appropriations bill. Of the
$1,225,000,000 appropriated, $650 million is held hostage by the
DHS and Committees of Jurisdiction until a plan for the fence is
approved. Furthermore, the fence funding would undermine language
in the Secure Fence Act by granting more discretion to the
Department of Homeland Security about how to spend the money and
where to make infrastructure improvements.
- The Kingston amendment requiring
Federal government contractors to participate
in the Basic Pilot (E-Verify) program.
- The Tancredo amendment to prevent Federal
Homeland Security funds from being distributed to state and local
governments who aid and abet illegal immigration with so-called
"sanctuary policies."
- The Gingrey amendment to prevent the State
Department from negotiating new countries from participating in
the Visa Waiver program.
- The Tancredo/Poe amendment to prevent
further funding for the incarceration of Ignacio Ramos and Jose
Compean.
- The Capito amendment mandating that the
Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State participate in the
Basic Pilot (E-Verify) program.
- The Hunter amendment prohibiting funds
from being used to facilitate participation in the Security and
Prosperity Partnership program or to create an international
highway between Mexico and Canada.
Retained
- $575 million for the Secure Fence Act
(without strings)
- The Gingrey/Culberson language to prevent
the Social security Administration from funding the Social
Security totalization agreement with Mexico.
- The Tancredo amendment to prevent State
Department funds if visas are not refused to counties that deny or
delay accepting aliens removed from the United
States.
- Language to prohibit housing assistance
and mortgages for illegal aliens
- Funding to expand ports of entry and
purchase more border patrol vehicles
- The Weldon amendment for background checks
on illegal aliens
- $410 million for the State Criminal Alien
Assistance Program, including a new DHS mandate that the agency
contact every prison, jail, and correctional facility in U.S.
monthly to identify incarcerated and convicted aliens who are
candidates for deportation and to start removal proceedings where
ordered
- $475 million for the US-VISIT entry-exit
identification system.
- $50 million in grants to help states
comply with the REAL ID Act
Unfortunately
included
- Iraqi refugee language to “recapture or
carry forward” certain unused refugee visas.
- Legal defense funding (legal services
corp) to help illegal aliens plead their case before
removal
- Delay on Western Hemisphere Travel
Initiative (WHTI), which would require all travelers to and from
Canada,
Mexico, Central
and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda to present a passport
to enter or re-enter the United
States.
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