I 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 4987 

To require construction of fencing and security improvements in the border 

area from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 16, 2008 

Mr. JONES of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. KING of New York) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Homeland Security 

A BILL 

To require construction of fencing and security improvements 

in the border area from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf 

of Mexico. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Fence By Date Certain 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. CONSTRUCTION OF FENCING AND SECURITY IM2 PROVEMENTS IN BORDER AREA FROM PA3 CIFIC OCEAN TO GULF OF MEXICO. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 102(b)(1) of the Illegal 

5 Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 

6 1996 (Public Law 104–208; 8 U.S.C. 1103 note) is 

7 amended to read as follows: 

8 ‘‘(1) SECURITY FEATURES.— 

9 ‘‘(A) REINFORCED FENCING.—In carrying 

10 out subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland 

11 Security shall ensure construction of at least 2 

12 layers of reinforced fencing, and the installation 

13 of additional physical barriers, roads, lighting, 

14 cameras, and sensors— 

15 ‘‘(i) extending from 10 miles west of 

16 the Tecate, California, port of entry to 10 

17 miles east of the Tecate, California, port of 

18 entry; 

19 ‘‘(ii) extending from 10 miles west of 

20 the Calexico, California, port of entry to 5 

21 miles east of the Douglas, Arizona, port of 

22 entry; 

23 ‘‘(iii) extending from 5 miles west of 

24 the Columbus, New Mexico, port of entry 

25 to 10 miles east of El Paso, Texas; 


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1 ‘‘(iv) extending from 5 miles north2 west of the Del Rio, Texas, port of entry 

3 to 5 miles southeast of the Eagle Pass, 

4 Texas, port of entry; and 

5 ‘‘(v) extending 15 miles northwest of 

6 the Laredo, Texas, port of entry to the 

7 Brownsville, Texas, port of entry. 

8 ‘‘(B) PRIORITY AREAS.—With respect to 

9 the border described— 

10 ‘‘(i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), the Sec11 retary shall ensure that fence construction 

12 is completed by May 30, 2008; and 

13 ‘‘(ii) in subparagraph (A)(v), the Sec14 retary shall ensure that fence construction 

15 from 15 miles northwest of the Laredo, 

16 Texas, port of entry to 15 southeast of the 

17 Laredo, Texas, port of entry is completed 

18 by December 31, 2008. 

19 ‘‘(C) ADDITIONAL AREAS.—With respect to 

20 the duties described in subparagraph (A) that 

21 are not otherwise assigned a deadline under 

22 subparagraph (B), the Secretary shall ensure 

23 that such duties are completed by June 30, 

24 2009. 


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1 ‘‘(D) EXCEPTION.—If the topography of a 

2 specific area has an elevation grade that ex3 ceeds 10 percent, the Secretary may use other 

4 means to secure such area, including the use of 

5 surveillance and barrier tools.’’. 

6 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

7 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be 

8 necessary to carry out the amendment made by subsection 

9 (a). 

10 (c) REPEALS.—Subsection (b) of section 564 of divi11 sion E of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2008 

12 (Public Law 110–161) is repealed. The amendment made 

13 by subsection (a)(2)(A) of such section is repealed. 

Æ 


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