I just read this. Is it new information? Surely the House will pass this. Does it mean that some border protection will take place in the near future? Help this newbie figure this out!!?

Sessions wins amendment for spending $2 billion on border fence

The Associated Press
Last Updated:August 02. 2006 3:10PM
Published: August 02. 2006 3:10PM

WASHINGTON


Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions won an amendment to a defense appropriations bill Wednesday to spend nearly $2 billion on a 370-mile fence and 461 miles of vehicle barriers along the U.S. border with Mexico.

The Senate adopted the Republican's amendment 94-3.

"That is not a small amount of money, but ... we ought to be able to follow through on spending a couple of billion dollars on a commitment we've made" to secure the border, Sessions said of the $1.8 billion cost of the amendment. "Fencing is a proven approach."

Sessions won authorization for the project in an amendment to the Senate's immigration bill that passed in May. But he failed just last month to attach a an amendment to the homeland security appropriations bill to pay for it. This time, the measure passed easily because lawmakers more clearly identified a contingency budget authorization for the spending, an aide said.

Once passed, the bill would be subject to conference negotiations with the House, where leaders have expressed support for border fencing but have not yet included money for the project in appropriations bills.