House Committee Expects to See Border Wall Budget Soon

3 hrs ago
By Julie Fine

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Austin, gave NBC 5 political reporter Julie Fine an update on the border Friday in Washington, D.C.
McCaul is chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security and said they are working on a plan now and could have an initial budget in the next month.

"We are having these discussions right now, in terms of what does this wall look like, where is it going to be. Sector by sector, it is very different. You know in Texas we have a river, and it's challenging as to how do you provide some sort of infrastructure barrier that makes sense with the local communities. These concrete levies actually have been very well accepted by communities – it protects them from flooding – and that is one thing we're looking at now," McCaul said.

McCaul talked about more than just a physical wall.

"I am for a multi-layered defense that provides both a physical barrier and a virtual technology barrier. And I think we can do that, and if we combine the technology piece, we can do it in a very effective, smart way that will also be more cost efficient. Because one mile of what would be a thirty-foot concrete wall, with just one mile, you could buy two predator drones," McCaul said.

While McCaul says they could have an initial budget soon, he wants to make sure they have a plan first in place so they are not just throwing money at it.


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