Rodriguez Calls for House Vote on Border Security Funding

Press Release

U.S. Congressman Ciro D. Rodriguez (TX-23) called upon leadership in the House of Representatives to bring a border security funding bill up for a vote on Tuesday when the House reconvenes in Washington.

The bill, which passed the Senate on Thursday, funds border security initiatives at significantly lower levels than Congressman Rodriguez advocates for, but it does provide for important needs along the border, such as additional agents, unmanned drones and technology.

"While I am pleased the Senate has voted to fund critical border security needs, I am disappointed that it is more than $100 million less than what the House recently passed," said Congressman Rodriguez. "As a Texas Member representing nearly 800 miles of border, I now call on my colleagues in the House to pass this new and fully funded version of the bill on Tuesday when we reconvene in Washington so that these dollars can begin paying for new personnel, upgraded technology, more investigative units and resources to catch and prosecute drug traffickers."

The bill does not add to the deficit and all of the $600 million is offset with increases to visa fees and cuts in other areas of the federal budget. It includes:

$176 million for 1,000 new Border Patrol agents to form a "strike force" to be deployed at most-needed areas

$50 million for 250 new ICE personnel, including special agents, intelligence analysts and support personnel

$39 million for Customs and Border Protection to keep the current levels of officers

$37 million for Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents along the border

$34 million for Drug Enforcement Administration agents along the border

$32 million to deploy unmanned aerial vehicle surveillance drones

$30 million for border interdiction by Immigration and Customs Enforcement

$29 million for 250 new Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry

$24 million for FBI agents along the border

$21 million Interagency Crime and Drug Law enforcement along the border

$20 million for the federal prison system to detain immigrant criminals

$14 million for communication equipment for new officers

$13 million for U.S. attorneys and other legal expenses

$10 million for federal judiciary resources for an anticipated higher caseload

$10 million for investigators to stop corruption in the Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection

$8 million for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

$8 million for U.S marshals along the border

$7 million for border processing of apprehended drug dealers and human traffickers

$6 million to deploy forward operating bases along the border (as opposed to using current bases that are 100 miles away)

$2.1 million for expediting administrative review and appeals along the border

Congressman Rodriguez, Vice-Chair of the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee, has been at the forefront in fighting to restore critical funding for border security. He co-sponsored H.R. 5875, which provided $701 million in funding for 1, 200 border patrol agents, 500 additional officers at our ports of entry, and an additional $50 million in Operation Stonegarden grants for local law enforcement on the border.

H.R. 5875 was the House's second attempt at getting border security funding passed. A previous supplemental appropriations bill had been approved by the House in July, but was later stripped from the bill by the Senate. Last week, he sent a letter, along with Congressman Harry Teague (NM-02) and Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-08), to House leadership urging them to find ways to reinstate this funding, which ultimately led to H.R. 5875.

Congressman Rodriguez represents the 23rd Congressional District, which includes 20 counties and 785 miles of border with Mexico. He has worked to boost funding for Operation Stonegarden and is Vice-Chair of the House Appropriations Homeland Security Subcommittee.

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