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Breaking: Senate overwhelmingly approves House Border Wall (per KFI radio)
KFI radio broadcast ^ | 9/29/06 | self

Posted on 09/29/2006 7:40:28 PM PDT by The Spirit Of Allegiance

Edited on 09/29/2006 7:52:46 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]

The House version of the bill approving and funding the building of a U.S./Mexico border wall has overwhelmingly passed the Senate, according to KFI News.

Link to station provided.

UPDATE: Senate backs fence along Mexico border
Reuters
By Donna Smith and Richard Cowan

The U.S. Senate on Friday overwhelmingly agreed to authorize construction of a fence along the U.S. border with Mexico, sending to President George W. Bush before the November 7 elections a bill that Republicans hope will showcase their efforts to stop illegal immigration.

The Republican-written bill authorizing construction of about 700 miles of fence was one of the last bills to clear Congress as lawmakers prepared to leave Washington to campaign for the congressional elections. On a vote of 80-19 the Senate approved the bill already passed by the House of Representatives and it now goes to Bush for his signature.

Bush had sought broad immigration legislation that would create a guest-worker program to help provide a steady workforce for jobs Americans are either unable or unwilling to do. But he was unable to marshal support for it in the face of opposition from a solid group of House Republicans who pushed for tougher enforcement and border measures instead.

A separate bill approved by the House on Friday provided an initial $1.2 billion in funding for the fence and other border-security measures for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1. The money is part of a $34.8 billion bill for domestic security programs for the fiscal year that begins October 1.

The broad spending bill also criminalizes the construction of tunnels that could be secret passageways from Mexico or Canada for drug smugglers, illegal aliens or terrorists.

The Senate was expected to pass the funding bill quickly and send it on to Bush along with the fence authorization.

Opponents of the fence said it would be expensive and was not an effective deterrent to illegal immigration.

"This is a political gimmick," said Sen. Ken Salazar, a Democrat from Colorado. "It is not in the long-term interest of of the United States of America and the Western Hemisphere."

The government of Mexico on Thursday issued a statement expressing "its profound concern" with the fence. The statement, translated from Spanish, said such measures "are contrary to the spirit of cooperation that should prevail to guarantee security in the common border."

IMMIGRATION OVERHAUL

Backers of the fence said it was an important tool to clamp down against illegal immigration. An estimated 1.2 million illegal immigrants were arrested in the last fiscal year trying to cross into the United States along the border states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Sections of the fence would be built in each state.

"Fortifying our borders is the first prong of comprehensive immigration reform and it's an integral piece of national security," said Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican.

Lawmakers and analysts say Congress could tackle comprehensive immigration legislation in a post-election sessions, but they acknowledge difficulties.

"It will be tough but doable," said Rep. Adam Putnam (news, bio, voting record), a Florida Republican.

"There is a lot of pent up pressure and interest in doing something in the lame duck session," said Craig Regelbrugge of the Agriculture Coalition for Immigration Reform.

Democrats accused the Republican majority of playing politics with the fence bill after raising immigration as an election-year issue but having little to show in the way of legislation.

"This is about November. This is about incumbent protection, not about border protection," said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.

Earlier this year the Senate passed broad immigration legislation that combined border security and employer sanctions with a plan to create a guest-worker program and provide a path to citizenship for many of the 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States.

The Senate and House were unable to compromise and instead resorted to passing a series narrow border security measures.



TOPICS: Breaking News
KEYWORDS: aliens; hr4437; illegalimmigration; immigrantlist; immigration; mexico; s2611
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To: Stultis
We haven't had (even figuratively) open borders...

Yep. Looks tight as a drum to me.

L

401 posted on 09/30/2006 3:24:48 PM PDT by Lurker (islam is not a religion. It's the new face of Fascism in our time. We ignore it at our peril.)
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To: Stultis
Well, I've dug ditches with El Salvadorians in August. Does that count?

Well, if you did that by hand in Texas, then you're just silly, because you're always less than an hour to a backhoe rental in Texas somewhere!

402 posted on 09/30/2006 3:32:11 PM PDT by sam_paine (X .................................)
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To: Nachoman

Just so long as it isn't the same people who created the Big Dig. I recommend using illegal immigrants. :)-


403 posted on 09/30/2006 3:43:48 PM PDT by pleikumud
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To: sam_paine
We'll, yeah, OR COURSE we used to a backhoe! But grading the ditch, installing the pipe, etc, is still pretty hot work, as I remember from my younger days. 'Specially if you're working in that white, chalky limestone that reflects the heat, as happened to be the case during the summer of '80 in Dallas (42 consecutive days over 100 degrees).

We had considered all that damn rock in our bid either, so we was pushing hard to make our nut!

404 posted on 09/30/2006 3:54:04 PM PDT by Stultis
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To: LurkedLongEnough

From the text of the bill:
"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."

They specifically mention wicked technology including UAV's, satellites, cameras, and ground sensors. I am against the idea of only a wall. This bill will impress you if you take the time to read it.


405 posted on 09/30/2006 4:09:22 PM PDT by ARealMothersSonForever (We shall never forget the atrocities of September 11, 2001.)
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To: raybbr; jveritas
jveritas: "President Bush is the one who wanted the fence in his illegal immigration plan back in May."

raybbr: "This is what he said: "We will construct high-tech fences in urban corridors, and build new patrol roads and barriers in rural areas."

"He sure was adamant about it wasn't he?"

"I think he's goind to lose sleep if he has to sign this bill because of the fence. It's got to be killing him to know that the border will actually be treated as a border."

If Bush wanted a fence, we would have had one 6-years-ago.

Bush wants amnesty and he's not going to get it.

Now he's had a fence shoved down his throat and he's choking on it like it's a bad plate of sushi.

LOL!

406 posted on 09/30/2006 4:30:20 PM PDT by 4Freedom (America is no longer the 'Land of Opportunity'. It's the 'Land of Illegal Alien Opportunists'!!!)
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To: Stultis
Unless we do more than just a fence we'll have more illegals remaining in country year round, and they'll have more resource consuming dependents with them. The days of illegals from Mexico and points further south consisting almost entirely of young working age males (and coming here only to work, otherwise spending as much time as possible back home) are gone, probably permanently.

Sheesh. What have you been reading? Illegals are up everywhere. And, the idea that they have been going home is ludicrous. They come here to stay. There are many where I work who come here and have been here for years.

407 posted on 09/30/2006 4:33:58 PM PDT by raybbr (You think it's bad now - wait till the anchor babies start to vote.)
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To: raybbr; jveritas
Bush to Vicente Fox: 'Wah, wah, wah this is so mean spirited.'

Vicente Fox to Bush: 'Wah, wah, wah. Oh si, eets deescreemeenashun! Wah!'

LOL!

408 posted on 09/30/2006 4:43:27 PM PDT by 4Freedom (America is no longer the 'Land of Opportunity'. It's the 'Land of Illegal Alien Opportunists'!!!)
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To: ARealMothersSonForever

Thank you.


409 posted on 09/30/2006 4:51:29 PM PDT by LurkedLongEnough
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To: CindyDawg

They both walked away, which is amazing, since the pilot flew into a power line while looking for a group of running illegals.

Don't know what happened to your Laredo thread, but things like they happen from time to time.


410 posted on 09/30/2006 4:59:17 PM PDT by HiJinx (Remember, in the end, the good guys win.)
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To: The Spirit Of Allegiance
Thanks for the ping... haven't read all responses yet but looks like a popular thread.

Suddenly things are not so friendly betwixt the Bush administration and Mexico. Vicente Fox "chastised" SECSTATE Rice over comments she made last week re their fledgling democracy. What she said was quite nice and positive but they "took offense" anyway, probably looking for an excuse to bash her.

And now: October 01, 2006 03:26am Article from: Agence France-THE Mexican government plans to protest to US President George W. Bush over a fence that is to be built along the countries' border, aimed at discouraging illegal migration to the United States, foreign ministry sources said today.

411 posted on 09/30/2006 5:04:35 PM PDT by La Enchiladita (God bless America, land that I love. NEVER FORGET ... Some Gave All ...)
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To: sam_paine

I'm not giving it up. I'm a native Texan. Call them something else. Transplant Texan, hybrid Texan, winter Texan, etc.


412 posted on 09/30/2006 5:07:27 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: deport
Unless they own a buffer zone along the border to which I don't know one way or the other.

Here in Arizona they do. The way I've read today's comments, it sounds like that is not the case in some Texas counties.

413 posted on 09/30/2006 5:12:43 PM PDT by HiJinx (Remember, in the end, the good guys win.)
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To: Kimberly GG
Frankly, I don't think any of it will happen anyway, unless

People who are in the business of reconnaisance and surveillance are banking that you're wrong. Companies that build and monitor barriers are already getting their proposal teams ready to get a chunk of the - minimum - 2 or 3 billion dollars this is going to cost.

414 posted on 09/30/2006 5:16:17 PM PDT by HiJinx (Remember, in the end, the good guys win.)
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To: Stultis
We haven't had (even figuratively) open borders for a couple decades.

I didn't bother to read the rest of your post, because your hypothesis is fatally flawed. Come on down my back yard - Cochise County, AZ - and try to make that claim. You'll be laughed out of town in a New York minute.

415 posted on 09/30/2006 5:19:46 PM PDT by HiJinx (Remember, in the end, the good guys win.)
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To: HiJinx

HiJinx, some say we haven't had a border (open or otherwise) a tall and I tend to agree.


416 posted on 09/30/2006 5:24:48 PM PDT by La Enchiladita (God bless America, land that I love. NEVER FORGET ... Some Gave All ...)
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To: EternalVigilance

Correct! Law enforcement is an essential companion to a fence; otherwise, the fence will just delay but not prevent illegal entry and will be money, time and materials wasted.


Still and all, this is an encouraging step in the right direction and I wonder if all the noise we made over Senate Bill 2611 had an effect (cough, cough).


417 posted on 09/30/2006 5:36:32 PM PDT by La Enchiladita (God bless America, land that I love. NEVER FORGET ... Some Gave All ...)
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To: The Spirit Of Allegiance

1. Will Bush sign it?
2. Will it ever be funded?
3. Demands National ID for all Americans by 2010.


418 posted on 09/30/2006 6:01:58 PM PDT by Revel
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To: Ernest_at_the_Beach

Mexico must think this is all a frigen game.


419 posted on 09/30/2006 6:12:59 PM PDT by Marine_Uncle (Honor must be earned)
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To: ARealMothersSonForever
Can you help me out please. I know you are trying to make a point with the Treaty referring to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec but for the life of me I can't figure it out as it relates to the HR6061 that was just adopted in Congress.. What does the US and Mexico having a Treaty allowing for the crossing from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec have to do with protecting our Southren border with Mexico.


420 posted on 09/30/2006 6:16:03 PM PDT by deport (The Governor, The Foghorn, The Dingaling, The Joker, some other fellar...... The Governor Wins)
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