Thread: House approves border fence

http://www.kvia.com/Global/story.asp?S=5410038

09.14.06
House approves border fence

Sep 14, 2006 02:30 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) - The House voted for the second time in a year to erect a fence along a third of the U.S.-Mexican border, part of a Republican effort to keep illegal immigration an issue before voters.

A new 700 miles of double-layered fencing won approval on a 283-138 vote, a bigger margin than last December when the House passed it as part of a broader bill that also would have made being an illegal immigrant a felony.

The nearly 2,000-mile border now has about 75 miles of fencing. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said the separate fence bill was needed to show Americans "we can take meaningful action to secure the border."

The House's bill last December and one passed by the Senate last May are so far apart on issues that Republican leaders haven't even tried to negotiate a compromise.

The main difference is that the Senate bill would provide legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S., a concept supported by President Bush but opposed by most House Republicans.

The Senate bill calls for 370 miles of fencing along the Mexican border. Supporters of the new House bill said the new fencing would let Border Patrol agents focus more on apprehending illegal immigrants crossing from Mexico rather than having to man the entire border.

"We have to come to grips with the fact that our Border Patrol agents need a border fence on our southern border ... where we're now facing infiltration by members of terrorist organizations like Hezbollah," said Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif.

The bill passed Thursday doesn't pay for the fence. Republicans, estimating the cost at more than $2 billion, said that will be covered in a later spending bill. Democrats estimated the fence would cost $7 billion, based on information from the Department of Homeland Security on costs per mile of a double-layer fence.

"This is nothing more than political gamesmanship in the run-up to the midterm elections. Sounds good. Does nothing," said Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla. Democrats accused Republicans of playing upon voters' fears to score political points.

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, said Republicans were trying to confuse Americans into thinking "Osama Bin Laden is heading north in a sombrero."

The bill also directs the Homeland Security Department to take control of the border in 18 months and gives border agents new authority to stop fleeing vehicles. And it calls for a study of the need for a fence on the U.S.-Canadian border.

Meanwhile, the House Administration Committee approved a bill to make states to ask for photo identification from voters by November 2008 and proof of citizenship by 2010.

The full House could vote on it as early as next week.

A "yes" vote is a vote to build the fence.

Voting yes were 219 Republicans and 64 Democrats. Voting no were 131 Democrats, 6 Republicans and 1 independent.

X denotes those not voting. Present denotes those who voted they were "present" when the vote occurred but did not vote yes or no on the issue. There are 2 vacancies in the 435-member House.

TEXAS Democrats - Cuellar, N; Doggett, N; Edwards, Y; Gonzalez, N; Green, Al, N; Green, Gene, N; Hinojosa, N; Jackson-Lee, N; Johnson, E. B., N; Ortiz, N; Reyes, N.

Republicans - Barton, Y; Bonilla, Y; Brady, Y; Burgess, Y; Carter, Y; Conaway, N; Culberson, X; Gohmert, Y; Granger, Y; Hall, Y; Hensarling, Y; Johnson, Sam, X; Marchant, Y; McCaul, Y; Neugebauer, Y; Paul, Y; Poe, Y; Sessions, Y; Smith, Y; Thornberry, Y.

The House fence bill is HR 6061; the voter ID bill is HR 4844.

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By SUZANNE GAMBOA Associated Press Writer

(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Didn't they just vote to build a fence and approved funds for the fence not long ago. How many times do they have to vote on a fence and approve funds for a fence before there is a fence and then they say it would be 18 months before they start the fence if the bill is passed in the senate and house. Didn't the house say that they would not agree to a conference that would be held behind closed doors? Yet they are behind closed doors discussing this.

If they have any questions as to how to fund the border fence......I say take the Homelend security funds from the cities that have made themselves a sanctuary city.

May not be a total answer......but it's a start.

Thanks Phrede I was prety fired up this afternoon....

The fence is cheaper than having human beings patroling the borders. It has to be high enough.

Maybe they should look at other dividing walls that have existed in the past. They will still need border patrol as the Mexicans and others may attempt to sabatoge it. I just hope it does not take long to build and the contractors use legal labor.