SENATE FENCE BILL: VOTE 94-0 IN FAVOR OF CLOTURE

Senate ^ | Sept 20, 2006 | US Senate

[RobFromGa]

U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 109^th Congress - 2^nd Session

as compiled through Senate LIS by the Senate Bill Clerk under the direction of the Secretary of the Senate

Vote Summary

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to H.R. 6061 )
Vote Number:	252	Vote Date:	September 20, 2006, 11:17 AM
Required For Majority:	3/5	Vote Result:	Cloture Motion Agreed to
Measure Number:	H.R. 6061
Measure Title:	A bill to establish operational control over the international land and maritime borders of the United States.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	94
	NAYs	0
	Not Voting	6

Vote Summary

By Senator Name

By Vote Position

By Home State

[RobFromGa]

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Secure Fence Act of 2006'.

SEC. 2. ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL CONTROL ON THE BORDER.

(a) In General- Not later than 18 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall take all actions the Secretary determines necessary and appropriate to achieve and maintain operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States, to include the following--

(1) systematic surveillance of the international land and maritime borders of the United States through more effective use of personnel and technology, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based sensors, satellites, radar coverage, and cameras; and

(2) physical infrastructure enhancements to prevent unlawful entry by aliens into the United States and facilitate access to the international land and maritime borders by United States Customs and Border Protection, such as additional checkpoints, all weather access roads, and vehicle barriers.

(b) Operational Control Defined- In this section, the term `operational control' means the prevention of all unlawful entries into the United States, including entries by terrorists, other unlawful aliens, instruments of terrorism, narcotics, and other contraband.

(c) Report- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on the progress made toward achieving and maintaining operational control over the entire international land and maritime borders of the United States in accordance with this section.

SEC. 3. CONSTRUCTION OF FENCING AND SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS IN BORDER AREA FROM PACIFIC OCEAN TO GULF OF MEXICO.

Section 102(b) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-208; 8 U.S.C. 1103 note) is amended--

(1) in the subsection heading by striking `Near San Diego, California'; and

(2) by amending paragraph (1) to read as follows:

`(1) SECURITY FEATURES-

`(A) REINFORCED FENCING- In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall provide for least 2 layers of reinforced fencing, the installation of additional physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors--

`(i) extending from 10 miles west of the Tecate, California, port of entry to 10 miles east of the Tecate, California, port of entry;

`(ii) extending from 10 miles west of the Calexico, California, port of entry to 5 miles east of the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry;

`(iii) extending from 5 miles west of the Columbus, New Mexico, port of entry to 10 miles east of El Paso, Texas;

`(iv) extending from 5 miles northwest of the Del Rio, Texas, port of entry to 5 miles southeast of the Eagle Pass, Texas, port of entry; and

`(v) extending 15 miles northwest of the Laredo, Texas, port of entry to the Brownsville, Texas, port of entry.

`(B) PRIORITY AREAS- With respect to the border described--

`(i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), the Secretary shall ensure that an interlocking surveillance camera system is installed along such area by May 30, 2007, and that fence construction is completed by May 30, 2008; and

`(ii) in subparagraph (A)(v), the Secretary shall ensure that fence construction from 15 miles northwest of the Laredo, Texas, port of entry to 15 southeast of the Laredo, Texas, port of entry is completed by December 31, 2008.

`(C) EXCEPTION- If the topography of a specific area has an elevation grade that exceeds 10 percent, the Secretary may use other means to secure such area, including the use of surveillance and barrier tools.'.

SEC. 4. NORTHERN BORDER STUDY.

(a) In General- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall conduct a study on the feasibility of a state of-the-art infrastructure security system along the northern international land and maritime border of the United States and shall include in the study--

(1) the necessity of implementing such a system;

(2) the feasibility of implementing such a system; and

(3) the economic impact implementing such a system will have along the northern border.

(b) Report- Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that contains the results of the study conducted under subsection (a).

SEC. 5. EVALUATION AND REPORT RELATING TO CUSTOMS AUTHORITY TO STOP CERTAIN FLEEING VEHICLES.

(a) Evaluation- Not later than 30 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall--

(1) evaluate the authority of personnel of United States Customs and Border Protection to stop vehicles that enter the United States illegally and refuse to stop when ordered to do so by such personnel, compare such Customs authority with the authority of the Coast Guard to stop vessels under section 637 of title 14, United States Code, and make an assessment as to whether such Customs authority should be expanded;

(2) review the equipment and technology available to United States Customs and Border Protection personnel to stop vehicles described in paragraph (1) and make an assessment as to whether or not better equipment or technology is available or should be developed; and

(3) evaluate the training provided to United States Customs and Border Protection personnel to stop vehicles described in paragraph (1).

(b) Report- Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall submit to the Committee on Homeland Security of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs of the Senate a report that contains the results of the evaluation conducted under subsection (a).

Passed the House of Representatives September 14, 2006.

Attest:

KAREN L. HAAS,

Clerk.

By Marjorie C. Kelaher,

Deputy Clerk.

Calendar No. 615

[RobFromGa]

The Senate, meanwhile, voted Wednesday to take up a bill to build a 700-mile fence along one-third of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Action on the fence, which could cost billions of dollars, comes four months after the Senate approved legislation that, along with tightening border security, created a guest worker program and outlined how people in the country illegally could work toward legal status and eventual citizenship.

President Bush has supported this broader approach, but it has met strong resistance in the House, where opponents have said it was tantamount to amnesty for illegal immigrants.

Bush, in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, said he would sign a fencebuilding bill as part of efforts to strengthen the border. But he added, "I would view this as an interim step. I don't view this as the final product. And I will keep urging people to have a comprehensive reform."

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., said, "While I've made it clear that I prefer a comprehensive solution, I have always said we need an enforcement-first approach to immigration reform."

Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada countered, "We can build the tallest fence in the world and it won't fix our broken immigration system." To do that, he said, "we need the kind of comprehensive reform that the Senate passed earlier this year."

The current bill wouldn't provide funding to cover costs of the fencing and other barriers aimed at preventing illegal entry. About $1 billion for the fencing is likely to be included in a bill for the Department of Homeland Security that Congress is expected to approve before its scheduled adjournment next week for the elections.

[NormsRevenge]

the final product?

(shudder)

[dawn53]

Kerry and Dodd didn't vote.

[Vigilanteman]

Amazing how an impending election has 94 senators focusing on border security. I'd think that at least some of the senate critters up for re-election from hopelessly stupid constituencies or not up for re-election would vote no.

[isthisnickcool]

Has anyone ever seen Harry Reid and Tom Daschle together? Maybe that's Daschle with makup on?

Reid, like Daschle, is a titty baby.

[GregH]

Dems running away from this issue as usual, they know Repubs are going them to hit them hard when it comes to the immigration issue.

[VU4G10]

YAY! Mr. Isakson.

[RobFromGa]

Senate Advances 'Fence' Bill

WASHINGTON -- The Senate today gave up on comprehensive immigration reform and instead advanced a bill that would authorize a fence along one-third of the U.S. border with Mexico.

By a tally of 94 to 0, the Senate voted to limit debate on the bill to build a barrier to those trying to sneak across the border along two regions, one running from Calexico, Calif., to Douglas, Ariz., and the other in Laredo, Texas.

The fence bill is one piece of a broad bill that the House passed in July to curb immigration. The House, unable to win Senate support for its relatively punitive legislation, plans to break its bill into pieces and to send them to the Senate either as free-standing bills or as riders to spending bills. The fence bill is the first such piece.

[rfp1234]

Menendez did not vote; hopefully that will hurt his re-election chances,

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

Maybe,,Someday,,,Build The Damn Fence !

[Paperdoll]

Locking the barn door after the horses got out of Mexico!
A limp gesture to influence the coming vote? This won't do it, fellas. Congress has lost it's credibility.

[Paperdoll]

I mean the SENATE and Congress.

[VU4G10]

Houston Chronicle

A Senate plan to build 700 miles of border fencing hit a snag Tuesday when Texas' senators said the Department of Homeland Security and border communities - not Congress - should decide where the fence is built. -- The objections by Republican Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison and John Cornyn complicated plans by Majority Leader Bill Frist.

[Smedley]

Its one thing to approve the fence and its another to provide the $$$ to build the damn thing.

[NormsRevenge]

Not Voting - 6
Akaka (D-HI)
Dodd (D-CT)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Menendez (D-NJ)

[patriot_wes]

clo·ture (klochr)
n.
A parliamentary procedure by which debate is ended and an immediate vote is taken on the matter under discussion. Also called closure.

[RobFromGa]

Not Voting - 6
Akaka (D-HI)
Dodd (D-CT)
Inouye (D-HI)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Menendez (D-NJ)

[tobyhill]

Now just fund it.

[RobFromGa]

What is your point? I know what cloture is.