Thread: Hunter to WH: Pull Mexico aid

Hunter to WH: Pull Mexico aid

Hunter to WH: Pull Mexico aid
By DAVID ROGERS | 5/9/08 5:44 PM EST

The ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee asked the White House Friday to withdraw its $500 million request for aid to Mexico as part of the new Merida Initiative to fight drug-trafficking into the U.S.

California Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), who chaired Armed Services for years under Republican rule, said Congress should first debate and authorize the multiyear commitment which has been a top priority for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

The House Foreign Affairs Committee is scheduled to mark up an authorization bill next Wednesday. But mindful that its own power is running out, the Bush administration has been anxious to move more quickly as a sign of good faith with the government of Mexican President Felipe Calderon.

Calderon has won praise for cracking down on violent drug-trafficking areas, and the new money is intended to provide training and equipment, running from computer software to aircraft able to transport troops and improve surveillance.

Rice has lobbied hard — in the White House and Congress — for the money to be included in an emergency spending bill to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. And even this week, she telephoned top lawmakers hoping to stave off cuts in the request.

President Bush weighed in as well at a White House meeting Wednesday with Republicans. But Hunter’s stance reflects what has been a steady undercurrent of criticism on the right. In trying to pull together the wartime spending bill and still meet other budget priorities, Democrats argue that it is unrealistic for Rice to expect the full $500 million at this time.

In his letter to Bush, for example, Hunter argues that the $500 million has no place in the bill “much like other programs not intended to support military operations in the combat theaters of the global war on terrorism.â€

A sign of good Faith ? with Mexico i find this a very disturbing statement. Wish some Rebup's would bone up and follow Hunters lead . Cause if not it makes me feel the whole thing is a setup . Patriots have the guts to get the job done.
Money is not their driving force . Country is . Mexico does not earn nor deserve our taxpayers money for a problem they use for political gain .

Duncan Hunter is still the man!

Strengthening security cooperation between the United States and Mexico remains important to our overall efforts of preventing illegal drugs and other contraband from crossing our Southern land border,â€

Originally Posted by MW

Duncan Hunter is still the man!

Too bad our media picked our presidential candidates.

Originally Posted by MW

Duncan Hunter is still the man!

YES he is. I have been saying this all along. Those countries with illegal aliens residing in the US (as well as those who refuse their nationals that have been deported) should have the costs of maintenance and criminal proceedings/jail costs deducted from any aid they receive from the US. That would force them to get their acts together and make some attempt to control their own populations.

Originally Posted by moosetracks

Originally Posted by MW

Duncan Hunter is still the man!

Too bad our media picked our presidential candidates.

The media only tells the half of everything. they only tell you what they want to tell you. Pretty sicking huh????

$500 million request for aid to Mexico?

Why don't we use that 500 million to hire new border patrol officers, why not use it too build the fence?

SORRY HAD A TEMPORARY BOUT OF COMMON SENSE!!!!!!!!

I guess I was thinking that our FREAKIN GOVERNMENT had common sense...My Bad!

Congress battles over funds to fight border drug violence
House Republicans tried today to stop millions of dollars from going to Mexico to fight drug-related violence along its border with the U.S.

The move came during committee work on a bill to fund the Merida Initiative, a plan President Bush and Mexican President Felipe Calderon forged to fight drug violence in Latin America.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Valley Village), would authorize $1.6 billion in spending over three years. The administration had asked that Mexico get $500 million.

Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) tried to block the aid to Mexico until Bush could certify that no Mexican army or police personnel were involved in drug trafficking and that the border was secure. Tancredo's amendment failed 23 to 10, but the fight's not over.

Republicans led by Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon) are appealing directly to Bush to withdraw his funding request.

"Mexico remains the chief foreign supplier of marijuana to the United States and continues to supply the majority of methamphetamines, heroin and cocaine that enters our country," they wrote in a May 8 letter to the president.

Posted by Nicole Gaouette in Washington

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com

Originally Posted by moosetracks

Originally Posted by MW

Duncan Hunter is still the man!

Too bad our media picked our presidential candidates.

Duncan Hunters son is running for congress. Im going to to everything I can to see that he gets in....