Posted by
Dawnsblood on Friday, October 06, 2006 5:39:04 AM
Msnbc says it will
not:
No sooner did Congress authorize construction
of a 700-mile fence on the U.S.-Mexico border last week than lawmakers
rushed to approve separate legislation that ensures it will never be
built, at least not as advertised, according to Republican lawmakers
and immigration experts.GOP
leaders have singled out the fence as one of the primary
accomplishments of the recently completed session. Many lawmakers plan
to highlight their $1.2 billion down payment on its construction as
they campaign in the weeks before the midterm elections.
But
shortly before recessing late Friday, the House and Senate gave the
Bush administration leeway to distribute the money to a combination of
projects -- not just the physical barrier along the southern border.
The funds may also be spent on roads, technology and "tactical
infrastructure" to support the Department of Homeland Security's
preferred option of a "virtual fence."