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W. Ralph Basham, former commissioner of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under President George W. Bush, called the border security buildup contained in the bill "sorely needed."

I applaud the investment in additional resources for border security at the levels contemplated by the Senate legislation. As the legislation moves forward, I am hopeful that the Departments and law enforcement agencies responsible for border security will be given the flexibility they need to effectively deploy the right mix of resources to achieve tighter control over our borders and face ever-evolving threats. Congress should have the final say and oversight, but should allow these agencies to propose on an annual basis a spend plan for the resource amount allocated and not mandate certain numbers of a certain category of law enforcement or certain geographic areas for fencing which may not be the most effective use of taxpayer dollars.

To read the full article, please go to Massive Border Security Provisions Advance in Senate Immigration Reform Bill on HStoday.