12/17/2007

Congressional leaders once again have emerged from their back-room negotiations with an "omnibus" appropriations bill that secretly adds 12,000 pork-barrel earmarks and guts the Secure Fence Act!

+ + Hutchison Amendment will gut double-layer fence

As we have been reporting to you, an amendment offered by Sen. Hutchison will essentially gut the Secure Fence Act's double-layer fence. This "Border Fence Funding Hoax" gives the Department of Homeland Security total discretion over how and where the fence is built.

In fact, DHS would not be required to build fencing in any particular location -- and the double-layer mandate is gone!

+ + "Omnibus" spending bill also adds 12,000 pork earmarks

The DHS appropriations bill has been wrapped up and packaged with other domestic spending bills in a massive omnibus spending bill that hits Congress today. Votes begin tomorrow.

And if gutting the Secure Fence Act's double-layer fence wasn't enough, Robert Novak is reporting that thousands of pork-barrel earmarks are also hidden in this bill...

          "...A little rules chicanery will hide an estimated 12,000

          new earmarks, including pork that previously had not been

          passed by any chamber and is "airdropped" into the bill.

          The wily legislators have found a way to get around new

          ethics rules that require disclosure of all such spending."

+ +  Action: Call your Senators and Representative

This behavior is appalling and outrageous, and I am asking you to call your Senators and Representatives and tell them what you think about this massive spending bill that guts the Secure Fence Act and quietly adds millions in pork-barrel earmarks.

Talking Points:

           1. I am outraged that Congress is "airdropping" 12,000

               new pork-barrel earmarks into the Consolidated

               Appropriations Bill being considered this week.

           2. I am also disturbed that an amendment by

               Sen. Hutchison will essentially gut the Secure Fence Act

               by giving Homeland Security total discretion of how

               and where the fence is actually built.

               (S.A. 2466 to H.R. 2638)

           3. I want the Hutchison amendment removed and I oppose

               the pork-barrel earmarks that have been included in the

               Consolidated Appropriations bill.

Sen. Johnson  202-224-5842

Sen. Thune  202-224-2321

Rep. Janklow  202-225-2801

Also...

There is still time to send faxes to key members of Congress on the Border Fence Funding Hoax. We expect votes all this week on this Consolidated Appropriations bill.

If you have not scheduled your faxes, go here:

http://www.grassfire.org/22042/offer.asp?rid=14514251

Of course, we always encourage you to send your own faxes if you prefer. The above link will provide you with fax numbers and sample text.

Your phone calls and faxes are so vital. We suspect that most members of Congress are totally unaware that an obscure amendment in this massive spending bill will gut the Secure Fence Act's double-layer fence mandate and free DHS from any requirement to build any fence in any particular location.

Thanks for taking action!

Steve Elliott, President

Grassfire.org Alliance

P.S. News sources for you:

Novak on the pork in the Consolidated Appropriations bill:

http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/RobertDNovak/2007/12/17/a_republican_retreat

World Net Daily on the Hutchison amendment:

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59159

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