Graves: U.S. Winning War on Terrorism
Graves: U.S. Winning War on Terrorism
Friday, May 6, 2005
Congressman Votes for Bill that Protects Soldiers and Border
(Washington, D.C) U.S. Congressman Sam Graves supported H.R. 1268 the Emergency Supplemental War Time Appropriations Act for U.S. Troops on Thursday. The bill was a compromise of different versions that passed the House and Senate. The supplemental provides $82 billion in funds to dramatically increase the funding for body armor and hardening vehicles and facilities that protect our troops in battle.
"Our soldiers are fighting and winning the war on terrorism," Graves said. "I want give our troops everything they need to win this war."
Included in the funding is $150 million to up-armor humvees and 600 million to up armor additional vehicles. In the past two years Congress has provided over $4 billion to up-armor vehicles of all kinds. In addition it funds 75 million in additional body armor for troops.
The bill also includes provisions that strengthen America's Homeland Security. It toughens the requirements to obtain a driver's license in 11 states that have lax standards. 19 of the September 11th hijackers carried 13 driver's licenses and 21 state-issued ID cards. The new standards will require applicants to show that they are lawfully in the United States, applies anti-counterfeit measures and requires any identification to expire upon a visa's expiration.
"These are common sense reforms that are long overdue," said Graves. "This is the first step in improving our immigration policy, but we have a long way to go."
The bill also funds an extra 500 border guards and mandates the completion of a security fence in "smuggler's gulch" near San Diego. Border Patrol Agents arrested 1.2 million illegal aliens in 2004, 11.6% of whom were apprehended in the San Diego sector. That sector comprises just 1% of the entire border between Mexico and the United States.
"These provisions make it harder for terrorists to sneak across the border," said Graves. "Our best chance of catching terrorists is by stopping them at the border."
This version of the bill must be passed by the Senate, before it can be signed by the President.
http://www.house.gov/graves/newsroom/050605a.htm