Money drying up for National Guard at border

By Brian Bennett
August 30, 2011, 8:54 a.m.

The 1,200 National Guard troops deployed along the Southwest border could be going home on Sept. 30 unless the Department of Defense agrees to cover the cost.

Currently the military pays $10 million a month to keep the troops on the border to assist Border Patrol in spotting illegal crossings and smugglers.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Tuesday that her department offered to cover the tab, but Congress said no.

“It comes down to whether [the Department of Defense] has the resources to maintain the Guard at the border. But we have enough to get us through the end of the fiscal year. We certainly will have very good conversations with Secretary of Defense about continuation,â€