In order to get the spending bill passed, the fence will now not be double, this so GW can get his money for Iraq. I’m sure he’s smiling – and the charge is being led by Kay Bailey Hutchison, a republican!
See article below.
Spending bill shrinks border fence
- The Washington Times
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.
The spending bill, written by Democrats and passed 253-154 with mostly their votes, surrenders to President Bush’s budget demands, meeting his spending limit with a $515 billion bill to fund most of the federal government and setting up votes to pay for the Iraq war. But Democrats reached his goal in part by slashing his defense and foreign-aid priorities to pay for added domestic spending.
The concessions promise to end a months-long budget standoff before Congress adjourns for the year and takes a Christmas break scheduled to start by Friday. In a rare two-step maneuver, the House first voted 253-154 to approve the bill to fund most of the civilian Cabinet agencies, and then voted 206-201 to add about $30 billion for Afghanistan war-spending to the measure.
But the measures did not pass before House Republicans blasted the changes to the border fence.
“The fact that this was buried in a bloated, 3,500-page omnibus speaks volumes about the Democrats’ unserious approach on border security and illegal immigration,” said House Minority Leader John A. Boehner, Ohio Republican. “Gutting the Secure Fence Act will make our borders less secure, but it’s consistent with the pattern of behavior we’ve seen all year from this majority.”
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.
How could you democratics and that stupid Kay Bailey do this to our country> Any serious exploration of the illegal problem demonstrates we need the damn fence. Now!
Comment by grimgold — December 18, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
Increasing border security raises the number of people who live here illegally. That’s Cultural Geography 101.
We already have the most militant border between any two non-hostile countries and it only keeps people from leaving after the seasonal jobs are over. If people can’t get back to see their families then they bring their families with them to stay.
Job migration is nothing new and is openly encouraged by the American business community.
Comment by Danger Bear — December 18, 2007 @ 10:48 pm