Speech #1100103926

I want to make clear that I agree with my colleagues that we must secure our borders and provide the resources to do it. Let me remind my colleagues that the Departments overall budget has grown more than 150 percent since its creation. Of that total. border security and immigration enforcement represents approximately onethird of the Departments annual spending. In 2007. Congress provided $12.1 billion in funding for border security. For 2008. the President budget requested $13.5 billion for border security. a 12percent increase over the amount appropriated for fiscal year 2007. The $13.5 billion that Secretary Chertoff requested from Congress was what he felt was needed to continue the Departments efforts to secure our borders. The Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Committee provided a total of $14.9 billion for border security in its mark of the fiscal year 2008 Homeland Security appropriations bill. a 23percent increase over the amount appropriated for fiscal year 2007 and a 10percent increase over the Presidents budget request for fiscal year 2008. Earlier this year. the Senate voted in favor of a similar amendment to the fiscal year 2008 Homeland Security appropriations bill. The Senate provided a total of $17.9 billion in funding for border security and immigration enforcement. a 48percent increase over the amount appropriated for fiscal year 2007. Because Congress failed to complete action on any of the appropriations bills. this funding remains in limbo. The Federal Government continues to spend more than it brings in and this amendment continues that practice. If we decide we absolutely need to spend $3 billion on somethingand I support adequately funding border securitythen we need to either raise more revenue or cut other spending to pay for it. Thus. I urge my colleagues to oppose the Graham amendment.