FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Isakson, Chambliss Renew Call for Emergency Supplemental to Secure U.S. Border

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) today introduced an amendment to the Homeland Security funding bill asking President Bush to submit an emergency supplemental spending bill to Congress to fund border security.  

“It is clear we have a crisis in confidence among the American people over our commitment to secure the border,” Isakson said. “I would submit that the American people would tell you there’s no greater emergency right now than securing our border, and an emergency spending bill for border security would go a long way toward restoring credibility to our immigration system.”

“There is a clear way to regain the trust of the American people in the ability of the federal government to enforce our immigration laws and secure our borders, and that is to take action and immediately fund border security,” said Chambliss.  “Illegal entry into the U.S. remains a vast problem that is getting more and more out of control, and it is a national security emergency that must be addressed.  We must secure the border first and foremost, because that is where the problem originates and where it must be halted.” 

Their “Sense of the Senate” amendment expressed the following:

• The American people continue to feel the effects of a failed immigration system on a daily basis, and they have not forgotten that Congress and the President have a duty to address the issue of illegal immigration and the security of the international borders of the United States;
• There is unanimity that the Federal Government has a responsibility to, and immediately should, secure the international borders of the United States;
• Securing the borders of the United States would serve as a starting point to begin to address other issues surrounding immigration reform on which there is not consensus;
• The President of the United States can initiate emergency spending by designating certain spending as “emergency spending” in a request to the Congress; and
• The President should request emergency spending that fully fund existing interior and border security authorizations that have not been funded by Congress as well as the border and interior security initiatives contained in the bill to provide for comprehensive immigration reform and for other purposes introduced in the Senate on June 18, 2007.

The Georgia senators also have sent two letters to the president emphasizing that border security must be de-coupled from other immigration reform measures. Additionally, Isakson and Chambliss told the president during a meeting with other senators on Capitol Hill that emergency supplemental funds to secure the border will go a long way towards restoring the confidence of the American people in the federal government’s commitment to border security.

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