IMMIGRATION BILL PASSES
SENATE
Considered Middle Ground Due to
Citizenship Provisions
After a contentious journey through the House and Senate last month, immigration reform legislation returns with this bill that would seem to take into account most concerns expressed in last month’s debates with the exception of those proposing extreme leniency or extreme authority towards illegal aliens in the US and immigration policy as a whole. The bill also includes provisions to address security problems on Mexico's southern border. The extensiveness of the bill’s provisions would indicate that there is still much to be done to secure US borders against illegal immigration and terror threats despite the upcoming five year anniversary of the 9-11 terror attacks. Full story here...
Man Attempting to Enter the US Disguised as an Automobile Chair. DHS
HOMELAND SECURITY SPENDING CONTINUES THROUGH HEAVY AMENDMENTS
Passage After Holiday Break
Funds Held Until DHS Produces Reports
The mission of the Department of Homeland Security goes beyond prevention and response to terrorist attacks to cover nearly any disaster impacting the US and its territories. DHS’ failure to respond to Congress with requested reports showing progress made or not made in protecting the country continues again this year. Congress will again attempt to withhold funding until certain reports are produced. The Committee marking up the bill also took exception to a procedure attributed to the President referred to in the bill report as a ‘gimmick’ According to report language the President requested a doubling of aviation security fees as a means to increase funds for critical areas spending. The procedure allows the administration to say their request was for a $2.1 billion increase from prior year spending. The Committee holds that it has no authority to raise the fees and that such activity would ‘artificially inflate’ the DHS budget. The committee, however, said that it reduced spending in other areas of the bill to make up for ‘the gap in essential program funding created by this gimmick.” Full Story Here...HR 5441
Photo: James Tourtelotte; DHS World Trade Center NYC, Sept. 11, 2001
