This just in from Congressman Boehner's Majority Leader office:
WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) and Homeland Security Chairman Peter King (R-NY) today announced that the Secure Fence Act (H.R. 6061), introduced today by Chairman King, will be considered on the floor tomorrow as the first effort in a series of border security initiatives House Republicans are working to send to President Bush this year. Tomorrow, GOP leaders are expected to unveil additional border security measures they plan to act on in the coming weeks.
"House Republicans believe we must address the immediate need to secure our borders," said Chairman King. "The field hearings held by House Republicans over August demonstrated that the first priority of the American people is secure borders, whether it is providing additional fencing and infrastructure or more state-of-the-art technology and surveillance to strengthen border security.
"Over the next three weeks, House Republicans will work with our colleagues in the Senate to authorize and fund key border security priorities, and send them to President Bush for his signature," said Majority Leader Boehner. "Tomorrow's vote represents the first step in that process, and a critical step towards shutting down the flow of illegal immigration into the United States ."
The Secure Fence Act would strengthen operational control of all borders and ports through additional physical barriers and fencing and greater use of state-of-the-art technology and surveillance along the southwest border, including:
* Authorizing more than 700 miles of two-layered reinforced fencing along the southwest border with prioritized placement at critical, highly populated areas and requiring an evaluation of infrastructure needs along the northern border;
* Mandating that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) achieve and maintain operational control over the entire border through a "virtual fence" that deploys cameras, ground sensors, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), and integrated surveillance technology;
* Requiring DHS to provide all necessary authority to border personnel to disable fleeing vehicles, similar to the authority held by the United States Coast Guard for maritime vessels; and
* Requiring DHS to assess vulnerabilities on the northern border.
This is good news!
