Bill Would Put Troops at U.S. Borders
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill that calls for
U.S. troops to help guard the country's borders with Canada and
Mexico against drug traffickers, terrorists, and illegal aliens,
the El Paso Times reported May 21.
The defense authorization bill would allow the Defense Department
to begin the program Oct. 1. "If troops were needed, they could
be of significant assistance to prevent the infiltration of terrorists,
drug traffickers, and illegal aliens, and could prevent the entry
of weapons of mass destruction into our country," said Rep.
Virgil Goode (R-Va.), who sponsored the measure.
But the legislation is not expected to pass the U.S. Senate because
it was not part of the original version of the defense bill. Some
lawmakers also argued that the proposal would further strain an
already overextended military.
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