The U.S. House has passed a bill that would beef up border security in the Southwest to deal with growing violence near the Mexican border.
The bill was introduced by Rep. David Price, a Chapel Hill Democrat and chairman of the House homeland security appropriations subcommittee. It would pay for 1,200 new Border Patrol agents, an additional 500 Customs and Border Patrol officers, three new forward operating bases and four new Border Enforcement Security Task Forces on the border with Mexico.
"With the cartels fighting the Mexican government and amongst themselves for drug, alien and weapons-trafficking routes, we have to prevent any threat of spillover violence and shut down illicit smuggling operations," Price said in a statement.
"Funding is urgently needed to expand the number of border patrol agents and officers, improve our border surveillance efforts, and beef up anti-smuggling investigations," Price added.
It would also add $50 million to expand support for joint state and local law enforcement efforts on the border and would add two Predator unmanned aircraft systems.
The bill was expected to provide $701 million to address the threat of violence along the Mexican border.
Price held a Capitol Hill news conference Wednesday afternoon with fellow Democrats Silvestre Reyes and Ciro Rodriguez, both of Texas.
The border funding was originally approved by the House this month as part of an emergency funding bill. Price accused Senate Republicans of "playing political games with this issue" by stripping out funding for the beefed-up border protection.
Democrats to convene in Fayetteville
The Democrats will gather in Fayetteville on Saturday for their biennial state convention, where they hope to give their Senate candidate Elaine Marshall a good sendoff.
About 800 Democrats are expected at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, where they will approve changes in their platform, pass resolutions and hear a report from Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx on the prospects for landing the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte in 2012.
The main event will be Marshall, who is challenging Republican Sen. Richard Burr.
In the evening, the Democrats will hold their Sanford-Hunt-Frye dinner honoring former Govs. Terry Sanford and Jim Hunt, and Henry Frye, the former chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court.
On Sunday, the executive committee will meet to fill the vacancy on the Democratic National Committee left by the death of Susan Burgess of Charlotte. Among those interested in the post are Democratic activist Pat Cotham and former state Revenue Secretary Muriel Offerman, a former DNC member from Raleigh.
N.C. shortfall next year among the worst
North Carolina is among the states facing the worst budget shortfalls next year, according to a report by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
The NCSL produced a report on how states are expecting to fare next year as federal stimulus dollars evaporate. In North Carolina, tax increases adopted last year are set to expire, bringing the projected budget shortfall to more than $3 billion.
Texas, North Carolina, New York and California are projecting budget gaps greater than $1 billion, according to NCSL.
Hagan feeds N.C. 'cue to Senate buddies
U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan imported some North Carolina barbecue to share with fellow Democratic senators Wednesday.
Hagan, a Greensboro Democrat, invited all her Democratic colleagues to offices of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee on Wednesday, a spokesman said. The food was driven to Washington from Wilber's Barbecue in Goldsboro. The menu included pulled pork, hush puppies, slaw, baked beans and banana pudding.
Hagan's campaign paid for the food.
By staff writers Rob Christensen and Benjamin Niolet
