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 News from Around the Americas | September 2006 
U.S. Border Fence Bill Clears Senate Hurdle
 Reuters
| | California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks during a news conference held along the U.S.-Mexico border fence near the San Ysidro Port of Entry in San Diego. In a Republican-sponsored advertisement being distributed by telephone, Schwarzenegger is portrayed as tough and resolute on illegal immigration, an issue with potent appeal among Republican conservatives. (AP/Denis Poroy) |
A bill authorizing construction of a fence along the U.S. border with Mexico advanced in the U.S. Senate on Thursday as Republican backers pushed to get an immigration measure to President George W. Bush's desk before the November 7 elections.
The Senate voted 71-28 to limit debate on the bill, which calls for construction of about 700 miles of fence. With the congressional elections looming, Republican backers of the fence bill seek to burnish their credentials on border security and on stemming illegal immigration before lawmakers leave this weekend to campaign.
"We know that fencing works," said Sen. Jeff Sessions (news, bio, voting record), an Alabama Republican.
But Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record), a Massachusetts Democrat who helped write a broad immigration overhaul passed by the Senate earlier this year, said an expensive fence would do little to stop illegal immigration. He accused Republicans of pushing the measure for political gain.
"This is a feel-good bumper-sticker vote," Kennedy said.
The House passed the legislation earlier this month, but it is unclear whether the bill will receive final passage in Congress before lawmakers leave.
The bill authorizes construction of the fence along parts of the 2,000-mile border. Separately, Congress is considering a homeland security spending bill that includes $1.2 billion for border fencing and other barriers. Lawmakers are expected to pass that bill and send it to Bush by this weekend.
Environmentalists have warned that the planned fence may harm migration routes used by animals including rare birds and jaguars along a wildlife corridor linking northern Mexico and the U.S. southwest known as the "Sky Islands."
US Senate Proceeds on Border Fence Bill
Suzanne Gamboa - Associated Press
Senate Republicans mustered enough support on Thursday to move forward on a proposal to erect 700 miles of fence on the U.S.-Mexican border.
The 71-28 vote, a few days before Congress leaves for the November elections, portends a final Senate vote by Saturday in favor of the proposal.
It was uncertain Thursday whether the House would have enough time to vote on the Senate changes and send the bill to President Bush before lawmakers depart Washington this weekend.
Bush's signature would give Republicans one more border security achievement to promote in a year when the House and Senate were unable to break an impasse on major immigration legislation.
The Senate approved an immigration bill that provided some border security, dealt with the 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants in the country and created a guestworker program.
The House approved an enforcement-focused bill that included the fence and other tough measures aimed at cracking down at illegal immigration.
The House has passed the fence proposal as a separate bill, dictating where the fence should be built.
The Senate changed the legislation to allow border communities to have more put on where the fences are built. They also softened some House language that gave the Homeland Security Department 18 months to prevent all illegal entries of people or contraband into the United States.
On the Net: Information on the bill, H.R. 6061, can be found at http://thomas.loc.gov |
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