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BOND: CONGRESS MUST FILL BORDER FENCE FUNDING GAP
Plans to Divert Money from New Border Patrol Agents and Screening Unacceptable
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September 11, 2008
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) today decried the lack of funding to complete planned new border fencing and the likelihood that new Border Patrol agents and improved port and border screening would suffer to fill the shortfall.
“We cannot allow funding gaps to cause border security gaps. Securing our borders should be one of our highest priorities and that means full funding for border fencing, Border Patrol agents and border and port screening.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is falling short in completing the 670 miles of new border fencing required by the end of the year. As of August 29th, DHS had completed only 344 miles of fencing.
While disputes with private landowners are slowing construction, government border security officials say they will soon run out of money anyway because of higher construction costs. Each mile of anti-pedestrian fencing now costs $7.5 million, 75 percent higher since February. U.S. Customs and Border Security Commissioner W. Ralph Basham notified Congress that the program is out of money and construction operations will soon stop without further action by Congress.
To address the funding shortfall, DHS proposed Tuesday to divert $140 million from other efforts such as hiring Border Patrol agents and improved port and border screening. Both of these efforts are themselves behind in hiring new personnel.
Proposals to “rob Peter to pay Paul” by limiting new Border Patrol agents and border screening improvements to plug border fence funding shortfalls are totally unacceptable. Congress must step up with additional funds to ensure that every last inch of border security fencing is constructed, every new Border Patrol agent is hired and border screening is as tight as can be.
“If Democratic leaders care about halting illegal immigration as much as I do, Congress can and must fill this border fence funding gap in upcoming spending measures.”
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