Tom Spigolon 5 hrs ago

The congressman representing Paulding County is a main supporter of a measure to provide more than $23 billion to build President Donald Trump’s planned wall along the Mexican border.

District 14 U.S. Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ranger, co-sponsored H.R. 7059, the Build the Wall, Enforce the Law Act, which provides $23.4 billion to fully fund Trump’s proposed wall along the country’s southern border with Mexico.

“The wall is a key part of President Trump’s plan to secure the border. After making a $1.6 billion down payment in last year’s government funding bill, this legislation provides all the resources necessary to finish its construction,” Graves said.

He said, “Despite the claims of open-border Democrats” the border wall “will help keep criminal illegals out of the homeland, which will make our communities safer and more secure.”

“I look forward to voting for this bill when it’s brought to the House floor in November,” Graves said.

Graves, a member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, said additional border security expenditures approved as part of last year’s government funding bill included increased funding for Customs and Border Protection by $1.8 billion; and nearly $656 million for border security technology, including surveillance and communications systems.

Other spending in last year’s bill included more than $138 million to hire and retain Customs and Border Protection officers; and increased funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement by $641 million, including $16 million to hire 65 more officers and 70 support staffers, Graves said.

The news publication Roll Call, which covers Congress, reported on its web site the Build the Wall, Enforce the Law Act specifically calls for $16.6 billion for wall construction and $6.8 billion for infrastructure and technology improvements for the Border Patrol.

https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_n...171e27423.html