Thread: House Members Take Steps to Restore Secure Fence Act

House Members Take Steps to Restore Secure Fence Act

During the week, pressure mounted on Capitol Hill to undo Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison's (R-TX) amendment to the FY08 Omnibus Appropriations Bill and the changes it made to the Secure Fence Act. In one week alone, two bills seeking to restore the Secure Fence Act have been introduced and a third is expected within days.

On Wednesday, Congressman Jim Marshall (D-GA) introduced H.R.4960, entitled the Immigration Law Corrections Act of 2008. This bill would, among other things, delete the Hutchison language from the FY08 Omnibus Appropriations Bill that grants Homeland Security discretion not to build fencing in a location if the Secretary determines that fencing is not the most appropriate means to achieve and maintain operational control over the border at such location.

On Thursday, Congressmen Walter Jones (R-NC) and Peter King (R-NY) introduced H.R.4987, entitled the Fence by Date Certain Act. This bill completely rewrites the Hutchison language to provide for the construction of two-layered fencing over 700 miles of the southwest border. The language sets forth four specific segments where fencing must be built by May 30, 2008 plus a fifth segment that must be built by December 31, 2008. In a statement announcing the new bill, Congressman Jones said, "There can be no more delay. Now is the time to build the fence - with American materials and American hands"

Finally, FAIR has learned that Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) within days intends to introduce a bill that would address the border fence. The bill, entitled the Reinstatement of the Secure Fence Act, would rewrite the Hutchison Amendment by deleting the consultation language, repealing the paragraph granting DHS discretion to not build in particular locations, and clarifying that the 700 miles of fencing must be two-layered. Commenting on his new bill, Congressman Hunter told FAIR, "Eliminating the double fence mandate enacted under the Secure Fence Act is a prescription for failure that will only allow our Southern border to remain vulnerable to drug and human smugglers, criminals and terrorists. My legislation will rightly reinstate the mandates of the Secure Fence Act and, as a result, deliver a much needed element of security to our border with Mexico."