SENATE FENCE BILL: VOTE 94-0 IN FAVOR OF CLOTURE

Senate ^ | Sept 20, 2006 | US Senate

[RobFromGa]

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109^th Congress - 2^nd Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 6061 )
Vote Number:	252	Vote Date:	September 20, 2006, 11:17 AM
Required For Majority:	3/5	Vote Result:	Cloture Motion Agreed to
Measure Number:	H.R. 6061
Measure Title:	A bill to establish operational control over the international land and maritime borders of the United States.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	94
	NAYs	0
	Not Voting	6

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Has Kerry ever done anything in Congress? I'd bet anybody twenty bucks that he couldn't even find his way to the front door of the Capitol, that's why he has a driver that brings him when he makes the annual 3-day pilgrimage.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Here's the "final product" I would like to see:

1) An effective security fence along the entire length of the US-Mexico border, provided with adequate personnel and surveillance equipment.

2) Sufficient detention facilities to house captured illegals prior to their deportation.

3) An effective ID system for legal immigrants (yes, and "guest workers") and a system for verification of US citizenship made accessible to prospective employers.

4) Heavy punnishment for employers who knowingly hire illegals.

5) All immigrants screened for contageous disease, criminal record, membership in the ROP.

6) US citizen or employer sponsrship for all immigrants Guest workers may stay as long as they have employment.

7) Welfare payments of any kind except for (certain) emergency medical care until a US citizen will not be provided.

8) Valid ID must be possessed at all times. If issued a drivers license, such license must identify the possessor as a non-US-citizen.

9) May not vote in US elections.

10)Failure to comply with above results in deportation following one hearing and one appeal to be conducted within three months.

[mewzilla]

Thanks! I think we should keep the telethon idea in mind....

BTW, anyone know how much piranha run?

[Tennessean4Bush]

A limp gesture to influence the coming vote? This won't do it, fellas. Congress has lost it's credibility.

It is amazing they even got this. Apparently it will take something catastrophic again to get people in Congress to do what they don't want to do.

I always felt like they should separate the two things but the Republicans could deflect somewhat the politics of it (on the appealing to the Hispanic voter side) by passing a bill appropriating funds for States to spend on how best and where it is best and what is best to put up along the border. Seems to me you might be able to slip through this kind of thing fairly easily - and it would be cheaper and more effective.

[MNJohnnie]

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c109:1:./temp/~c109UhiPa3::

Read the bill for yourself. The Senate just voted for clouter on the US House bill. All approrpriantions have to start in the US House. The funding is there contrary to the knee jerk cyncisum of the Always Angry.This bill requires them to build the fence.
Secure Fence Act of 2006 (Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by House)

HR 6061 EH


109th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6061

---

AN ACT
To establish operational control over the international land and maritime borders of the United States.


Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Secure Fence Act of 2006'.

SEC. 2. ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL CONTROL ON THE BORDER.

(a) In General- Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take all actions the Secretary determines necessary and appropriate to achieve and maintain operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States, to include the following--

(1) systematic surveillance of the international land and maritime borders of the United States through more effective use of personnel and technology, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based sensors, satellites, radar coverage, and cameras; and

(2) physical infrastructure enhancements to prevent unlawful entry by aliens into the United States and facilitate access to the international land and maritime borders by United States Customs and Border Protection, such as additional checkpoints, all weather access roads, and vehicle barriers.

(b) Operational Control Defined- In this section, the term `operational control' means the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband.

(c) Report- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the progress made toward achieving and maintaining operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States in accordance with this section.

SEC. 3. CONSTRUCTION OF FENCING AND SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS IN BORDER AREA FROM PACIFIC OCEAN TO GULF OF MEXICO.

Section 102(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208; 8 U.S.C. 1103 note) is amended--

(1) in the subsection heading by striking `Near San Diego, California'; and

(2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

`(1) SECURITY FEATURES-

`(A) REINFORCED FENCING- In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide for least 2 layers of reinforced fencing, the installation of additional physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors--

`(i) extending from 10 miles west of the Tecate, California, port of entry to 10 miles east of the Tecate, California, port of entry;

`(ii) extending from 10 miles west of the Calexico, California, port of entry to 5 miles east of the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry;

`(iii) extending from 5 miles west of the Columbus, New Mexico, port of entry to 10 miles east of El Paso, Texas;

`(iv) extending from 5 miles northwest of the Del Rio, Texas, port of entry to 5 miles southeast of the Eagle Pass, Texas, port of entry; and

`(v) extending 15 miles northwest of the Laredo, Texas, port of entry to the Brownsville, Texas, port of entry.

`(B) PRIORITY AREAS- With respect to the border described--

`(i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), the Secretary shall ensure that an interlocking surveillance camera system is installed along such area by May 30, 2007, and that fence construction is completed by May 30, 2008; and

`(ii) in subparagraph (A)(v), the Secretary shall ensure that fence construction from 15 miles northwest of the Laredo, Texas, port of entry to 15 southeast of the Laredo, Texas, port of entry is completed by December 31, 2008.

`(C) EXCEPTION- If the topography of a specific area has an elevation grade that exceeds 10 percent, the Secretary may use other means to secure such area, including the use of surveillance and barrier tools.'.

SEC. 4. NORTHERN BORDER STUDY.

(a) In General- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall conduct a study on the feasibility of a state of-the-art infrastructure security system along the northern international land and maritime border of the United States and shall include in the study--

(1) the necessity of implementing such a system;

(2) the feasibility of implementing such a system; and

(3) the economic impact implementing such a system will have along the northern border.

(b) Report- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that contains the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 5. EVALUATION AND REPORT RELATING TO CUSTOMS AUTHORITY TO STOP CERTAIN FLEEING VEHICLES.

(a) Evaluation- Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall--

(1) evaluate the authority of personnel of United States Customs and Border Protection to stop vehicles that enter the United States illegally and refuse to stop when ordered to do so by such personnel, compare such Customs authority with the authority of the Coast Guard to stop vessels under section 637 of title 14, United States Code, and make an assessment as to whether such Customs authority should be expanded;

(2) review the equipment and technology available to United States Customs and Border Protection personnel to stop vehicles described in paragraph (1) and make an assessment as to whether or not better equipment or technology is available or should be developed; and

(3) evaluate the training provided to United States Customs and Border Protection personnel to stop vehicles described in paragraph (1).

(b) Report- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that contains the results of the evaluation conducted under subsection (a).
Passed the House of Representatives September 14, 2006.

Attest:

Clerk.


109th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 6061

AN ACT
To establish operational control over the international land and maritime borders of the United States.

[sageb1]

The heck with that. Just send the money to the Minutemen.

[Prokopton]

"The funding is there contrary to the knee jerk cyncisum of the Always Angry.This bill requires them to build the fence."

Yea. Just like the Constitution "requires" them to enforce the immigration laws we already have.

[MNJohnnie]

I am sorry, I don't waste my time responding to Freepers who lie about other Freepers in their posting.

[The Mayor]

Bump and marked.

[Goldwater and Gingrich]

I only count about 70 miles of fence? How much real fence do we get?

[TheTruthAintPretty]

Are they going to end up having to hire a bunch of illegals to build it at a reasonable price?

The labor unionists will want $50 an hour and 10 breaks a day, and the ghetto dwellers will end up with half the materials in their garages.

[4woodenboats]

"Reid, like Daschle, is a titty baby"

Haven't heard that term in a long time but is fits.

[Sprite518]

All Rats figures..... Gee what a surprise the Scum of the Earth Kennedy and Kerry both made the list.

[Kimberly GG]

"Kerry and Dodd didn't vote."



If I recall correctly, it was Dodd who added to the Senate Bill 2611, at the very last minute, the provision that requires the United States to consult with Mexico BEFORE doing anything to secure the border, including building a fence. I'm not surprised he didn't vote, but I wonder how many people who voted for this amendment, have flip flopped.

[Kimberly GG]

Grouped By Vote Position
YEAs ---56
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Carper (D-DE)
Chafee (R-RI)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Craig (R-ID)
Dayton (D-MN)
DeWine (R-OH)
Dodd (D-CT)
Domenici (R-NM)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Jeffords (I-VT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (D-CT)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Sarbanes (D-MD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Stevens (R-AK)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Wyden (D-OR)


NAYs ---41
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Allen (R-VA)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burns (R-MT)
Burr (R-NC)
Byrd (D-WV)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Conrad (D-ND)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Frist (R-TN)
Grassley (R-IA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
McConnell (R-KY)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Roberts (R-KS)
Santorum (R-PA)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Smith (R-OR)
Sununu (R-NH)
Talent (R-MO)
Thomas (R-WY)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Present - 1
Boxer (D-CA)

Not Voting - 2
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)

"An amendment slipped into the Senate bill at the last minute by Sen. Chris Dodd mandates consultations with Mexican officials before any fence construction begins."

[Kimberly GG]

"Amazing how an impending election has 94 senators focusing on border security. I'd think that at least some of the senate critters up for re-election from hopelessly stupid constituencies or not up for re-election would vote no."


Someone suggested yesterday the possibility that they are all going along because behind the scenes they've bargained for passage at a later date of comprehensive amnesty.

[Daryl L.Hunter]

The "Comprehensive" immigration legislation should be renamed by us as the "All Or Nothing Bill" we know better than the constituency bill.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Also, the MinuteMen are planning on building a fence with private donations on private land, they may have actually already started.

[GrouchoTex]

Post, 25 , 57, and 107 are all excellent ideas.
Perhaps even some combination of all 3.
People are fed up enough with the illegals, so I think it would generate more than enough money to fund border security,But....

MSM probably won't give any airtime to the telethon.

The gov't wouldn't put the check box on the tax return, it may cut into their "political donations" box.

I like the ideas, though.
Do you have any ideas on how they could be implemented?

[F15Eagle]

Amazing how an impending election has 94 senators focusing on border security

Bingo. And only 5 years too late. But at this point, anything that puts them to action. I'm amazed we haven't had a WMD attack in the past 5 years, from someone walking right over the borders.

[lakeman]

Sorry no platinum. You have to take into account the $400 hammers and $300 toilet seats for the porta potties need in the construction zone.

[texastoo]

"The "Comprehensive" immigration legislation should be renamed by us as the "All Or Nothing Bill" we know better than the constituency bill."

I disagree. The "comprehensive" immigration legislation should be renamed "the whole enchilada".

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2002/2/14/223039.shtml

"Looking American journalists squarely in the eye, Castaneda said, "It's the whole enchilada or nothing; we can't slice it one piece at a time."


What is it that is included in Castaneda's list of demands? Basically, he wants a complete surrender of U.S. sovereignty over immigration policy.

America must legalize all Mexican illegal aliens, loosen its already lax border enforcement, establish a guest worker program in the midst of an economic downturn, and exempt Mexican immigrants from U.S. visa quotas.

Not only that, but also the demand that Mexicans living in the U.S. receive health care provided by the American taxpayer and in-state college tuition."

Mexico is winning with the RINO's.

[Pirate21]

A Senate plan to build 700 miles of border fencing hit a snag Tuesday when Texas' senators said the Department of Homeland Security and border communities - not Congress - should decide where the fence is built.

I didn't know that. I think they're right.

[MNJohnnie]

Umm who is going to referee between the various states and the border communities to decide where the fence gets built?

OF course the Feds have to do this, it is a muti state issue! I love this, 1st the States scream for the Feds to do something, NOW they complain because the Feds are doing it!

All the State want here is another Federal Taxpayer slush fund they can tap for what ever they feel like. If we are going to build a fence, lets build a fence, not let some Leftist Government decide he/she needs the Fence funds for Illegal Alien encounter group therapy.

[Stayfree]

Did they mention how many detour signs in Spanish will guide them around the fence?

[MNJohnnie]

The Senate only voted for Clouture on the debate on the US House bill 6061. This still has to be voted on.

[Polyxene]

The usual suspects -- RATs all
(Typical Kerry -- didn't offend anyone by not voting!)

[TampaDude]

Just build the damn fence!!!

[MNJohnnie]

Someone suggested yesterday the possibility that they are all going along because behind the scenes they've bargained for passage at a later date of comprehensive amnesty.

It may be the Dems think they got the votes to kill it. Or that they decided this will squish them in Nov and just are getting out of the way.

We can play What if all day. We do not know until the vote comes up. A later "Amnesty" bill still has to pass the US House and if that was going to happen, the last Senate bill would of pasted.

[Pirate21]

Umm who is going to referee between the various states and the border communities to decide where the fence gets built?

The Department of Homeland Security?

All the State want here is another Federal Taxpayer slush fund they can tap for what ever they feel like. If we are going to build a fence, lets build a fence, not let some Leftist Government decide he/she needs the Fence funds for Illegal Alien encounter group therapy.

I see what you're saying. Is there a way (realistically) to make "Federal Fence Funds" be used solely for building fences, e.g., "earmark" the money? I can see the states needing federal funding and justifying it on the fact that such a fence would protect the entire country, not just those states. However, I think the local communities and the DHS would know best where the fences are needed. I.e., do we really want some senator from, say Illinois, telling Texas where to build the fences?

("Illegal Alien encounter group therapy" -- love it!)

[hdstmf]

Its one thing to approve the fence and its another to provide the $$$ to build the damn thing.

Right. Read this post closer. This was a cloture vote only. Who knows when/if the bill will come to the floor for a vote by the senate. That is when the rubber meets the road. Stay tuned...

[Theodore R.]

Yes, and it was Pat Buchanan who FIRST proposed this fence more than a dozen years ago. I'll believe it when I see it built.

[Theodore R.]

Do you think calls from the homefolk make any real district with most senators, like Kohl of WI for instance, who hold safe seats.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

And watch out for flyin' Pigs !

[CougarGA7]

And both my Senators voted for it. Any consutation with Mexico should be "Hey, we're building a fence." And that's it!

JUST GET IT DONE!!

[pollyannaish]

THANK YOU, D.E.S. If this passes, it is progress and progress is ALWAYS better than nothing.

I think some folks feel this election slipping away from them.

[George W. Bush]

At most, only 33 could be defeated on this. And probably 10-15 of those 33 were already in favor of the fence.

Seems to me something else is going on here. They're not that afraid of the voter holding a grudge during their '08 and '10 elections.

I suspect that the White House is reading the tea leaves and knows that the GOP House is going to survive, largely because the base is loyal to them on their tough anti-illegals stance. So the WH is getting the Senate to follow suit. At least until after the election when they no doubt plan to return to betraying our national security to pursue their North American Community. Given that these scumbag politicians are bent on destroying America, I wish there were more ways to oust them or disqualify them from office for egregious and treasonous legislation.

[George W. Bush]

You would think they were buildin' the damn Panama Kanal!

Actually, I've thought about this before. They could build a new canal, like an Arizona-California Canal. And enhance the south side of it with a secure border fence. Useful for commerce and controlling the border.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

LOL,,,,Then they would bring boats,,,

[ConservativeJen]

That would be a good idea. Then we wouldn't be held hostage by the $100k/yr union longshoremen in California anymore.

[Allan]

You might be interested to know that your Free Republic post was cited on the blog Kausfiles

Plus, hasn't the Senate already agreed to cloture on the fence issue?

And later, a letter, referring to this post, sent to Mickey Kaus, from Stephen Smith
Senator Frists's online communications coordinator
was reprinted on the Powerline Blog