N E W S
| December 21, 2007 |
| WASHINGTON, DC - Montana's Congressman, Denny Rehberg, this week successfully fought for passage of his critical border security legislation in a comprehensive appropriations bill. The Border Infrastructure and Technology Modernization Act, introduced by Rehberg earlier this year, was included in a funding bill recently approved by the House and Senate. “Border security is the first step toward real immigration reform,” said Rehberg, a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “That’s why I worked tirelessly, as the only member of the Montana delegation on the Appropriations Committee, to get my border security legislation included in the House’s final funding package. This is a huge step in strengthening our national security.” The legislation, introduced by Rehberg and Representative Henry Cuellar (D-TX) in June, directs the Department of Homeland Security to prepare annually, and submit to Congress, a National Land Border Security Plan that includes a vulnerability assessment of each land port of entry located on the U.S. northern and southern borders and authorize $100M per year for the implementation of this security plan for all 154 land port of entries. It also would help fix America’s longstanding border infrastructure improvement backlog and provide funds for additional border technology upgrades. Finally, the legislation provides an additional 300 personnel per year to border security agencies until 2012. |
