FReepmail to be added to the Congress Watch Ping List.
Posted on 01/02/2008 7:34:33 AM PST by pissant
In a quiet act of defiance, the Senate approved a $555 billion omnibus spending bill that removed legal requirements mandating the federal government fund 854 miles of a double layer border fence spanning America's southwestern border.
The funding requirement was codified into law when Congress passed, and President George W. Bush signed, the Secure Fence Act (SFA) in 2006.
When the spending bill, which combines appropriations for a number of federal agencies, reached the Senate, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.) attached S.Amdt. 2466 to the measure in order to silently gut the SFA's spending requirement.
The Hutchison amendment reads, "Nothing in this paragraph shall require the secretary of homeland security to install fencing, physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras and sensors in a particular location along an international border of the United States, if the secretary determines that the use or placement of such resources is not the most appropriate means to achieve and maintain operational control over the international border at such location." Thus, critics argue the amendment results in a de facto repeal of the SFA.
"The Hutchison amendment gives DHS virtually total discretion over how and where the fence is built," commented Steve Elliott, president of Grassfire.org. "In fact, DHS would not be required to build fencing in any particular location - and the double-layer mandate is totally gone."
The double-layer border fence, which was premised on the fence erected outside San Diego, consists of two layers of fencing with a border patrol access road separating the fencing. California Congressman Duncan Hunter, who is also running for the Republican nomination, was instrumental in building the fence in San Diego and boasts the fence reduced the smuggling of drugs and people into San Diego by 90 percent. Mr. Hunter further contends his fence is virtually impenetrable.
"If you get over my fence, we sign you up for the Olympics immediately," Mr. Hunter repeatedly jokes on the campaign trail. The success of the San Diego fence was so great that Mr. Hunter wrote the SFA to extend it all the way across the southwest border.
But with the Senate's amendment, the fate of the fence remains in limbo and sets the stage for another congressional showdown on immigration now that the amended Senate version comes back to the House for consideration.
"Congress truly pulled the rug out from under us while we were doing our last-minute holiday shopping, deceiving the American people and only showing goodwill to the 12 million lawbreakers living among us," sates Chris Simcox, president of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps. Mr. Simcox had pledged to rally his Minutemen to secure funding for the fence, and Mr. Hunter is prepared to do battle as well.
"If Congress is to reverse its border stance after just one year, what message does that send to illegal immigrants and drug smugglers who are watching to see how serious we are about protecting America's borders?" Mr. Hunter asked.
Congress says one thing, then does exactly the opposite.
Vote the damn bunch out. What a disgrace.
That's kinda what happened in 2006. Unfortunately, many of those voted out were not RINOs. Until we regain a real conservative majority in Congress, we will never see this fence.
Like Senator Rick Santorim.
I cannot comprehend the reasons for NOT building the fence.
Help
As Tom Hanks says in “Charley Wilson’s War” “it’s a tradition”
OK, so why am I not supprised.
I guess the current bunch in DC thinks a massive and bloody revolution is no problem.
So again we ask, who does Washington work for??? What country pays their paycheck?
I don’t care what flavor of so called reps we have in congress. They cannot deny the will of the people for long if we start sounding off and backing it up with action.
The right can march just as effectively as the left.
An absolute disgrace - I’m so ashamed of Hutchison right now.
America needs term limits in Congress more than ever.
FReepmail to be added to the Congress Watch Ping List.
Duncan Hunter says — “If Congress is to reverse its border stance after just one year, what message does that send to illegal immigrants and drug smugglers who are watching to see how serious we are about protecting America’s borders?”
That’s so true. I just don’t know why these guys in Congress are so willing to leave our borders wide open and continue to allow illegal aliens to stream in without any controls at all...
Regards,
Star Traveler
Yea, I have already made plans on what to do when that worthless b***h trys to run for Governer.
No wonder most of the world doesn't respect us. They hear us talk tough about the War on Terror and how we will not stand for those that harbor or shelter terrorists, while we give them an open door policy here. This kind of hypocrisy is what stands out. We must love our illegals and drug smugglers or else the fence would be done by now.
Hunter ‘08. VP. ‘12, ‘16. Sec Defense. Sec Trade, OMB, whatever capacity he will serve. We need this man.
Vote the damn bunch out. What a disgrace.
Sounds JUST like Romney... AND Huckles, and McCain, and Rudy.
“Hutchison is leaving the Senate soon. Anybody know why she would do such a heinous act?”
Anytime I see a politician do something that is totally contrary to common sense and the will of most Americans I can guarantee you that the reason can be found by following the money. You can be sure that ethnic front groups in Texas are paying her to do this, either in cash or by promising more votes when she runs for Governor in Texas.
Hutchison was PAID to stab us in the back.
I guess they don’t want their jobs. Good; because they will be voted out.
Cares Barely Hucthinson is one anti-American traitor....valuing the rights of illegal aliens over the rights of American citizens
Until we stop this “a vote for third party/independent is a vote for Hillary/democrat” nonsense...we will continue to get RINOs. Unfortunately, too many faux conservatives will vote for anything that has an “R” next to it.
The only way to fix this pro-illegal/anti-American mess is to vote out politicians who support illegal aliens.
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