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SENATORS JOHN McCAIN AND JON KYL INTRODUCE BORDER SECURITY LEGISLATION
July 30, 2010
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators John McCain and Jon Kyl today introduced legislation to provide $701 million dollars for border security. The bill is similar to the House legislation that was recently approved, but the McCain-Kyl legislation is fully paid for with unobligated stimulus funds and $100M from SBINet “virtual fence” that the Department of Homeland Security suspended.
The bill would provide the following:
o $208.4 million for 1,200 additional Border Patrol agents deployed between the ports of entry along the Southwest Border;
o $136 million to maintain current Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officer staffing levels and add 500 additional officers at ports of entry along the Southwest Border;
o $35.5 million for improved tactical communications on the Southwest Border, three permanent Border Patrol forward operation bases, and investigations to prevent corruption among CBP officers and agents;
o $50 million for grants to support local law enforcement in their activities along the border “in coordination with Federal law enforcement;”
o $32 million to procure two additional CBP unmanned aircraft for border surveillance;
o $30 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement activities directed at reducing the threat of narcotics smuggling and associated violence from the Mexican drug cartels;
o $201 million for the Department of Justice to fund investigative expenses of the FBI, DEA and ATF, court proceedings and detention.
“The legislation we introduced today will provide additional resources to help gain control of our border, without impacting our nation’s deficit. It is our hope that Democratic majority will swiftly work with us to ensure passage of this bill. We also look forward to working with the Administration toward the adoption of our 10-Point border plan, which will provide the additional resources that are so desperately needed by so many living along the border in Arizona.”
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