Thread: Bush: How about $4.4 billion for border?

Bush: How about $4.4 billion for border?

By Jon Ward and Stephen Dinan
Published June 14, 2007


President Bush this morning proposed spending $4.4 billion on border security as the first step in a comprehensive immigration reform bill, in the White House's latest effort to resurrect the bill that failed last week.
"We're going to show the American people that the promises in this bill will be kept," Mr. Bush said, in a speech to a meeting of the Associated Builders and Contractors.
Mr. Bush said he understands that "Americans are skeptical about immigration reform," saying that an attempt at immigration reform in 1986 "failed."
The White House has acknowledged this week that the bill, which stalled last week and was pulled off the Senate floor, failed in part because there is massive grass-roots skepticism about the government's sincerity and ability to secure the border.
"The American people want a demonstration that we can actually do it," said White House spokesman Tony Snow.
Mr. Bush said that the comprehensive bill he supports does just what people are calling for.
"By moving forward with the bill in the Senate, we will make our border more secure. In other words, if you're worried about border security, you ought to be supporting this bill," Mr. Bush said.
Mr. Bush called on Congress to "set aside the political wrangling that tends to dominate the scene here in Washington, D.C."
"We've got to summon the political courage to move forward on immigration reform. Doing nothing is not a solution," Mr. Bush said.
"I'm confident we can pass a bill into law this year," he added.
This amendment would be part of the overall immigration reform package, and is different from an emergency funding supplemental bill.
A supplemental, which is an idea floated by some GOP senators, would put money towards border security regardless of whether a guest-worker program and path to citizenship is passed.
Mr. Bush is not willing to give up on passing a total package.
"In order to have a system that works, all the issues must be addressed," said the president.
The $4.4 billion would be spent immediately and then repaid out of fees and fines collected through the path to citizenship program and the guest-worker program, Mr. Snow said. He did not know where the money would originally come from.
The new spending is a good start, said Sen. Jeff Sessions, but won't convince him to support the bill.
"What we need to do is to do those kinds of things and move step by step on enforcement," said the Alabama Republican, who has become one of the leading conservative opponents of the bill. He said it's right to put the money up front, but said it's not right to use it as a "gimmick" to try to get support for the bill, and said Congress should instead focus on those things such as border security that can get majority support.
Mr. Sessions also said he will use whatever procedural tools he can to block the bill from being revived -- a powerful threat in the Senate, where a single member can delay or block action.
"There are a number of senators who will utilize the powers of the Senate to avoid going back to the failed bill," he said.

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20070 ... -8049r.htm

this is will go into a trust fund? Much like our social security? Bush doesn't say it will ever be spent just put in a trust fund. Let your senators that you know how much Bush can be believed on border security. The fence stopped being built May 10, 200 border agents sent to Iraq to protect their border, border agents being used to protect presidental candidates, and bush has had over six years to do border enforcement instead he has put border agents in jail and allowed more and more illegals, terrorists, and drug smugglers to cross the border. Bush must be in a fog if he believes that americans believe that he is going to use the money for border security except maybe for Mexico's southern border.


Section 413 of 1348 states that America will assist Mexico in providing medical care, training its people and ensuring that there is prenatal care around the border areas. Why do the Senators and President believe that Americans want to assist Mexico when we have 45 million americans without health care and we have people that need training and that want to go to college but are unable. The only reason that Mexican women cross the border to have babies are to ensure that the babies are citizens and are able to draw food stamps and aid to dependent children. Section 413 needs to be removed as well as the path to citizenship of the illegals. Enforcement only. Congress and the President believe that Americans cannot see their little games but we can see what you are doing.

Repaid out of fees and fines collected from the "path to citizenship and guest worker programs?" If you believe that then you know the saying "I have beach front property in Arizona to sell you!"

The minute this proposal is accepted, within months the Senate will adopt a bill that will state that the fines are creating a hardship and need to be done away with. Then they will tell us that there is no longer any money for fence building and additional border enforcement!

Lies, Lies, Lies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I do not believe one word coming from Tony Snow, Kennedy, Reid, Graham, El Presidente or any of these so called "Americans" who are willing to sell our "Sovreignty for Corporate Interests!!!

So Bush is now offering to add $4.4 billion towards border security. But he has always said that this would work to stop illegal immigration. If the bill would work why the need to add $4.4 billion more?

What is the stake that will make it through this monstrous bill's heart and kill it for good?
I feel like we are in for some historic times. I'm on the verge of running into the street screaming, "STop it! We've got to stop it!"

I just called every single person listed at the California GOP office and left a voicemail saying the GOP is dead if this thing goes through. Previously in the day, I sent individual emails to 40 plus senators.

I'm sure thousands feel like me. Like I'm losing my mind listening to Bush and Graham. They are EVIL!!! And like vampires, they just keep coming back!
E.F. Taylor

EET, Welcome to Alipac.

Just to let you know, we have all went a little nuts like that.

Just keep trying.

Dixie

Welcome aboard EFTaylor!

We hear ya! Sometimes it seems like we're in the Twilight Zone but we're doing what we can to wake up.

Keep up the good work and don't be a stranger k?