Senate pushes border fence work

WASHINGTON -- The Senate voted last week to require the government to speed work on security fences being built along the U.S. border with Mexico.

Senators voted 54-44 for an amendment requiring 700 miles of fencing be completed by Dec. 31, 2010.

Sponsoring Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., said officials claim 661 miles of fencing has been completed, but that includes vehicle barriers and single-layer fencing.

DeMint said only 34 miles of double-layer fence has been built to the standards that Congress ordered in a 2006 law to thwart people walking into the United States.

"I don't like the way a fence looks," DeMint said. "But in this world today, where we are threatened in many ways, it is critically important that we are able to determine who comes and goes and what comes and goes on the borders of the United States."

Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, said the amendment would force the Department of Homeland Security to build hundreds of additional miles beyond what it determined was necessary to secure the border.

Voinovich said speeding the project "would be incredibly costly," as some miles of fencing through remote areas could cost an average $5 billion per mile.

Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., and John Ensign, R-Nev., voted against speeding work on the border fence.

EARMARKS DEFENDED

Debate came before the Senate completed work on the $44.3 billion bill that would fund customs and homeland security programs for fiscal 2010.

The bill also provided a test of Senate sentiment on earmarks.

Senators voted to kill four amendments by Sen. John McCain to strip funding for specific programs, including several that President Barack Obama had considered wasteful spending.

In one instance, McCain proposed to eliminate funding for a $12 million bus security program. He argued the Obama administration has deemed it unnecessary because it was spending money on tracking systems that the private sector could be making without federal funding.

McCain's amendment was killed, 51-47. Ensign voted for the amendment while Reid voted against it.

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., proposed an amendment to prohibit earmarking grants for state emergency operations centers and for disaster planning programs. He noted President Obama shares that belief.

Feingold said the Senate bill sets aside almost half its available operations center money for 10 states, meaning 40 states must compete for the rest, he said.

"While we may not all agree on the appropriateness of earmarking in general, I certainly hope we can agree certain things should not be earmarked, including ... grant programs such as those that protect Americans from terrorist attacks and natural disasters," Feingold said.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., said the amendment was "reckless" and would deprive key states of funding for terrorism protection.

He was echoed by senators from Rhode Island, Arkansas Montana, Washington, Louisiana and New York.

The Feingold amendment was killed, 60-38.

Ensign voted for the amendment. Reid voted against it.

Contact Stephens Media Bureau Chief Steve Tetreault at stetreault @stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.