WASHINGTON — A law to erect hundreds of miles of fence on the U.S.-Mexican border is on the books and money to start it has been okayed, but Republicans are nervous that now that they've lost control of Congress, they'll never see it built.
The law passed last year says Congress, now in control of Democrats who generally oppose the fence, don't have to release money to build it until they approve of how the fence will be built. Based on the comments of some Democrats, there's no rush to make that happen.
A separate law funding Homeland Security Department spending provided $1.2 billion for the fencing. But that law also withholds $950 million of the sum until the House and Senate appropriations committees approve the department's plan for spending the money, giving those committees say over the design, location and length of the fence. Attempts to get comment from the chairmen of the House and Senate appropriations committees were unsuccessful.
But Republicans have been pushing nonetheless, restating their arguments for a fence and dashing off letters to President Bush, asking him to request more money for the fence's construction in his 2008 budget.
An excerpt from the 2008 DHS budget says:
$1 billion is added to border fencing and infrastructure.BUT...an amendment was added:
Sponsor: Rep. David E. Price (D-NC-4th) Vote: A motion to recommit the bill to assure implementation of border fencing and other technology and infrastructure on the southern border was not agreed to June 15, 2007 200 TO 217 (RC 490). The House passed the bill June 15, 2007 268 to 150 (RC 491) The Senate agreed to the bill amended July 26, 2007 89 to 4 RV 282
IOW, they voted down the amendment on the border fencing. They then added it to the Defense Appropriations bill, which they have not voted on yet, per my previous post. They are playing parlor tricks on all of us.
Thanks for the post. Good detail. Playing the old shell game with the dollars. Meanwhile it is costing taxpayers millions and millions everyday with illegal immigrants crossing over.
BTW, I do not think the new fences alone will deter illegals coming over.