Last Updated: Thursday, 08/24/06 at 2:38 p.m. |
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Appropriations Action Center |
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 NumbersUSA
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STATUS: Action will resume on H.R. 5631, the FY 07 Department of Defense appropriations bill, when the Senate returns from its August recess on September 5. On August 2, the Senate voted 94-3 to approve a measure appropriating $1.8 billion for the construction of border fencing and vehicle barriers along the southern border. The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), funds the fencing and barrier provisions proposed by the Reid-Kennedy amnesty/”temporary” worker proposal (S. 2611), which passed the Senate in late May. Another amendment by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), which was tabled, would have added $2.2 billion for southern border fencing, expanded the Basic Pilot employment verification program, provided more worksite enforcement investigators, and fully funded the US-VISIT entry-exit system. On July 13, the Senate passed H.R. 5441, the fiscal year 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill, by a vote of 100-0. As passed, the bill provides about $32.8 billion in discretionary funds for the upcoming fiscal year. Some important amendments were added before final passage and others were lost. Senators adopted an amendment by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) that adds funding for border security infrastructure enhancements and 100 new US CIS staff that will conduct benefits fraud assessments. Amendments sponsored by Sens. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) and Mark Dayton (D-MN) also passed that would add 1,700 additional detention beds and 236 new agents on the northern border. But two amendments by Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) failed that would have added 370 miles of fencing on the southern border and 800 more staff to investigate immigration law violations. Sen. Rick Santorum’s attempt to add 1,500 agents on the southern border also failed. The Senate Appropriations Committee endorsed H.R. 5441 just prior to the July 4th recess. CLICK HERE to see a summary of committee action.
Bush guest-worker plan lacks support The Washington Times; August 24, 2006 Sensenbrenner Statement on New CBO 10-Year Cost Estimate of $127 Billion for Reid-Kennedy Immigration Bill U.S. House of Representatives Committee on the Judiciary; August 22, 2006 Immigration Bill's Cost Pegged at $127B Associated Press; August 21, 2006 Congressional Budget Office releases cost estimate of S. 2611, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 Congressional Budget Office; August 18, 2006
 Public Opinion — poll numbers consistently show the majority of Americans support lower immigration numbers when they are informed of current and historic levels.Bill page — links to statements by sponsors, section-by-section summary, and other resources. Research and Reports — NumbersUSA.com's online library featuring links to in-depth analysis of legislation and policy, charts, and articles authored by our staff. NumbersUSA Press Releases — all recent and past press releases.SmartBusinessPractices.com — a pro-business resource for American businesspeople, especially those in small business, who seek to operate their companies in the best traditions of American private enterprise. |
This page describes Senate floor action on the appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security, and contains summaries and links to information that will help you understand the legislation, the process and the votes. (If you have any questions
or comments, please CLICK HERE.)
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oppose the Senate's amnesty bill Talking Points For Phone Calls & Visits with Members of Congress' Offices
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FINISHED VOTES:
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NumbersUSA
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| Byrd amendment (SA 4557) Summary: Adds $350 million, including $90 million for border security infrastructure enhancements and $38 million for 100 new US CIS staff to conduct benefits fraud assessments. Provisions are paid for by increased immigration-related fees on non-US citizens. VOICE VOTE PASSED |
In addition to adding needed infrastructure enhancements, this amendment focuses on reducing benefits fraud which enables many non-deserving aliens to obtain citizenship or other benefits. |
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| Bingaman amendment (SA 4591) Summary: Establishes a $50 million competitive grant program that would allow border communities (within 100 miles of the border) to use funding to pay for costs incurred in dealing with illegal immigration and smuggling. Communities further away could participate if Homeland Security designated them as an affected area. VOICE VOTE PASSED |
NumbersUSA supports providing local governments additional resources to fight illegal immigration. |
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| Cornyn amendment (SA 4557; 2nd degree to SA 4556) Summary: Requires courts to narrowly tailor injunctive relief orders against the Government in immigration cases and to take into account national security, border security, public safety, and immigration enforcement concerns. It is designed to address a 1988 Federal court injunction that requires immigration authorities to afford detained Salvadorans a host of substantive and proposal rights--rights afforded to literally no other immigrant group. Legislating point of order sustained TABLED |
NumbersUSA Urged A YES Vote NumbersUSA supports this amendment because it would end a decades-old, obsolete Federal court injunction designed to impede the Department of Homeland Security's use of expedited removal and enforcement of our immigration laws. |
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| Sessions amendment (SA 4659) Summary: Adds 370 miles of additional fence on the Southwest border paid for by $1.8 billion in offsets from other programs. 29-71 FAILED |
NumbersUSA Urged A YES Vote A fence is one of the most effective tools for preventing illegal migration. This amendment would have funded the fence provided for in the Senate-passed bill (S. 2611) CLICK FOR DETAILED VOTE TALLY |
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| Sessions amendment (SA 4660) Summary: Adds about $86 million for 800 more staff to investigate immigration law violations, offset by reductions in other programs. 34-66 FAILED |
NumbersUSA Urged A YES Vote Many more staff are needed to help DHS investigate immigration law violations. CLICK FOR DETAILED VOTE TALLY |
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| Kyl amendment (SA 4643) Summary: Provides $40 million to pay for 1,700 additional detention beds, as offset by cuts in other programs. Legislating point of order sustained |
NumbersUSA Urged A YES Vote VoteAdditional detention beds are needed to hold illegal aliens for deportation. |
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| Santorum amendment (SA 4575) Summary: Provides $460 million to pay for 1,500 additional Border Patrol agents, as offset by cuts in other programs. Legislating point of order sustained |
Additional Border Patrol agents are needed to stem the flow of illegal migrants. |
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| Dayton amendment (SA 4663) Summary: Provides $44 million for 236 additional Border Patrol agents, as offset by cuts in other programs. VOICE VOTE PASSED |
Additional Border Patrol agents are needed to stem the flow of illegal migrants. |
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| Kyl amendment (SA 4670) Summary: Provides $58 million to pay for 1,700 additional detention beds, as offset by cuts in other programs. VOICE VOTE PASSED |
Additional detention beds are needed to hold illegal aliens for deportation. |
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| Final Passage Summary: Clears the bill and send it to conference committee with the House
100-0 PASSED |
Although NumbersUSA would have preferred to see the adoption of additional amendments, such as one that would have funded 370 miles of additional fencing on the southern border, it supported the bill on final passage. |
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| Sessions amendment (SA 4775; as amended by Kyl amendment SA 4788)* Summary: Adds about $1.8 billion to provide for the construction of 370 miles of fencing and 461 miles of vehicle barriers along the southern border. 94-3 PASSED *Amendment to the FY 07 Department of Defense appropriations bill (H.R. 5631)
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A fence is one of the most effective tools for preventing illegal immigration. This appropriation would be a one-time cost and, if adopted and implemented, would provide better enforcement at and near the porous southern border – and would do so with fewer enforcement personnel needed. Considering the widespread societal and economic strains that illegal immigration places on this country, funding border fencing at $1 million to $3 million per mile – depending on whether the National Guard or private contractors construct it – and vehicle barriers at $1.4 million per mile is a relatively small price to pay for effective deterrents. (This amendment would fund construction of the border fencing and vehicle barriers provided for in the Senate’s amnesty/”temporary” worker plan [S. 2611]). |
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| Cornyn amendment (SA 4768)* Summary: Adds $4 billion in appropriations to fund previously-authorized, but not yet fully-funded, border security measures, including $2.2 billion for the construction of fencing and vehicle barriers along the southern border and funding for expansion of the Basic Pilot program, full implementation of US-VISIT, more detention beds, more Border Patrol agents and worksite enforcement investigators, and additional equipment. TABLED Point of order against legislating in an appropriations bill sustained *Amendment to the FY 07 Department of Defense appropriations bill (H.R. 5631) |
Border security and interior enforcement programs have been woefully underfunded. This amendment would provide crucial funding for programs necessary to secure the border and crack down on the hiring of illegal aliens. |
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