Press release on border security

Yesterday Senator Hagel's office released a press release on border security. The following is from the press release, "Hagel Votes Against Amendment to Take Money Away from Border Patrol Agents and Other Homeland Security Priorities."

July 13th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate today voted down an amendment by Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) by a vote of (29-71), which would have cut $1.8 billion from Homeland Security funding to pay for a 370 mile-long fence on America’s southern border. The amendment would have cut funding for border patrol agents, border infrastructure, first responders, port security and other homeland security programs. U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) voted against the Sessions Amendment.

“It is absurd to ask the taxpayers of Nebraska and the nation to choose between building a fence to help secure our southern border and funding our other homeland security priorities. By enacting the comprehensive immigration reform bill passed by the Senate in May, we can fund our homeland security needs and build a 370 mile-long fence on our southern border, along with providing significant border resources. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the net revenue from the Senate bill would be roughly $12 billion over ten years. This money would be put back into securing our borders instead of sticking Nebraska taxpayers with the bill. This is all the more reason we need to move as quickly as possible to resolve the differences between the Senate and House and pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill,” Hagel said.

For the full press release, go here.