U.S. Senator Seeks to Increase Military Presence Along the Border
Published in La Crónica de Hoy
(Mexico) on 01 April 2009
by Staff (link to original)
Senate Democrats and Republicans in the United States recommended an increase of more than two thousand agents to fight the flow of drugs along the Mexican border yesterday.
A budget of 550 million dollars was proposed so as these agents could also fight arms trafficking along the border.
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano increased the number of drug agents at the border to 450 last week.
However, as an amendment to President’s Barack Obama’s budget for 2010, legislators yesterday raised to increase that number dramatically.
"President Calderon needs our help and we must help in his fight against cartels," said Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security committee.
The senator spoke of the need to stop the flow of weapons against the traffickers.
The Lieberman amendment would increase the number of elements in border patrol by 500 thousand to conduct inspections for weapons in the exit lanes of Mexico, while Napolitano has proposed 100 agents for this task.
A budget of 550 million dollars was proposed so as these agents could also fight arms trafficking along the border.
Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano increased the number of drug agents at the border to 450 last week.
However, as an amendment to President’s Barack Obama’s budget for 2010, legislators yesterday raised to increase that number dramatically.
"President Calderon needs our help and we must help in his fight against cartels," said Joe Lieberman, chairman of the Homeland Security committee.
The senator spoke of the need to stop the flow of weapons against the traffickers.
The Lieberman amendment would increase the number of elements in border patrol by 500 thousand to conduct inspections for weapons in the exit lanes of Mexico, while Napolitano has proposed 100 agents for this task.