House Passes 2 Border Security Bills

On Wednesday, the House passed two border security measures with
little resistance. Both, the Secure Border Act (H.R.1299) and the Jamie Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act (H.R.915), were passed
under suspension of the rules, meaning there would be no debate and no
amendments, but the bills needed at least a 2/3rds vote to pass.The
Jamie Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act was introduced
by Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) and was approved by a 391-to-2
margin.The bill would require the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
to establish a
task force known as the “BEST program” to coordinate federal, state, and
local border enforcement efforts along the U.S./Mexico border. The task
force would be comprised of officers from the U.S. Customs and Border
Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S.
Coast Guard, and local and state law enforcement agencies along the
southern border. The bill also authorizes funding for the
task force from 2012 through 2016.Jamie Zapata was a border
patrol agent who was murdered in Northern Mexico when his vehicle came
under fire from gunman. Zapata was on his way to Mexico City for a
meeting.The Secure Border Act was introduced by Rep. Candice
Miller (R-Mich.) and was approved by a voice vote. The bill requires the
Department of Homeland Security to obtain “operational control” of the
Southwest border with Mexico. In 2011, the Government Accountability
Office reported that the U.S. only had 44% “operational control” of the
border.