On Thursday, the Senate passed a measure to provide $600 million in emergency funding for border security. (PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images)
Washington (CNN) – Two senators - Democrats Charles Schumer of New York and Ben Cardin of Maryland - returned from their August recess Thursday to give the chamber's approval for $600 million in emergency funding to help secure the U.S.-Mexico border.
The measure, which has already been approved by the House of Representatives, now advances to President Barack Obama's desk. Obama is expected to sign it on Friday
The bill passed by unanimous consent, a parliamentary term for a voice vote that doesn't require the return of the entire Senate chamber. GOP leaders had agreed to the maneuver.
Among other things, the bill provides for roughly 1,500 new law enforcement agents, new unmanned aerial vehicles, new forwarding operating bases and $14 million in new communications equipment.
The measure has attracted strong Democratic and Republican support. Obama praised the plan after the Senate passed it, saying that congressional passage "answers my call to bolster the essential work of federal law enforcement officials and improve their ability to partner with state, local, and tribal law enforcement."
The bill is funded in part by imposing higher fees on personnel companies that bring foreign workers into the United States.
From CNN Politics
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Whew! I'm hopeful this will cut down on the "terror babies" that are being born by the gajilions in Houston hospitals.
Rage, rage against the lying of the Right.
The standard Congressional answer to a problem, throw money at it and hope it will go away!
Funny that the Republicans didn't stonewall or fillabuster this amount of money being spent they usually put up roadblocks when it comes to Obama spending money we don't have......only when it suits the Republican party for their personal gain will they go along with it...They didn't want the funding for the Teachers or our finanically strapped States.....and that was only $29 billions and it is being paid for not added to the debt.......where do these Republicans think this $600 Billion is coming from .........The GOP is a JOKE......
GOP where is your complaining now about spending money we don't have ....... you didn't want to help the States and Teachers, but this is OK $600 million is OK for you huh.......
I am sure that if the mid term elections were not so close they would not have done this. Pandering for votes.
Good..Now lets put lotsa boots on the ground on ALL our borders.
Fences along the Mexican border help a little but people are 10 times better.
Besides, we need the jobs....
Why did it take this long?This problem has gone on for many years and many presidents.If Obama wants to get his ratings up protect the border as every country in the world does. He needs to accomplish something substantial instead of trying to break the country.
Give that money to cartell and tell the secure the border for us, i can assure you you wont have any illigal border crossing for the next 10 years
Thank you Chuck and Ben!
Must be a lot of money for some corrupt affiliate of the SEIU for them to have come back from vaction to spend more money. Like the "porkulus" bill or the more recent "aid to states" it is all going to the union executives as part of the payback for stealing the election for the most incompetent, inept, corrupt president we ever had. A mirror image of the union excutive.
So let me get this straight. It takes only two Senators to pass $600 million in spending? I think this story needs a bit more meat. Sounds a bit slanted toward one party.
I'm sure the repugs will be stepping up to the plate with this, but will they strike out or hit a home run?
Considering that they usually do the wrong thing, they'll probably swing and miss with the arguement that this is not enough money, we need to spend billions, not millions.
They don't want to spend money to help Americans, but they'll probably have no problem with spending it to put up a crazy fence or some other "cosmetic" bandaid fix.
Since they seem to favor war so much, maybe we can put up a DMZ flooded with landmines?
Well just how long will it take once this is all passed for President Obama and big sis Janet Napolitano find a way to water this down and avert doing their jobs once again.
It's about time!
Only 600 Million? How much money is spent on illegal immigrants? I'd like to see a complete saturation. Remember, our ports are porous. We need double that amount.
Excellent news. A small but completely necessary step in the right direction. Congrats to Congress and the President for making the right decision.
Now please come up with a fence and $50 billion to hunt down and throw out all the illegals here so we can save $50 billion per/yr after that
WHAT A JOKE! Our politicans again just don't have a clue. WHY do they not make E-Verify Manatory and that WILL secure the border because with NO work they will NOT have a reason to come to the U.S. illegally. There is not enough money to secure the border and in fact our politicans just do not want to. Look up E-Verify and ask yourself why they do not even talk about it. Costco stores voluntarily participate in E-Verify and there are NO ILLEGAL ALIENS working there DUH.......Press 8 for English.
This is good to hear, but why does it take this much of our hard earned money to block one country from breaking the law? They need to put financial aid into the Social Security system to track all of the illegal aliens that are using false identities and using another person's/relative's identity.
WOW!!!!! the Republicans actually agreed to something
To little, to late and still doesn't address what has already managed to crawl into our country and set up shop to stay. We need to go after employers that disregard the law and hire the illegal aliens.
By the end of the day, although many republicans and conservatives have been screaming about lack of action by the Obama administration reference securing our borders, there will now be a large proportion of these same people screaming about the government is broke, we can't afford it. No matter what this administration attempts to do it is met with resistance and criticism at every turn. This issue will be no different.
And to think that Johnny Boehner had been whining all along that none of this immigration stuff could be done this year because he can't chew gum and walk at the same time. Such a foolish GOP bimbo...
finally !!!... something they have done right...
And yet, those silly Canadians are allowed to just come and go as they please, coming down here to hoard our currency, stock up on our superior beer, and overwhelm our healthcare system.