[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 545 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 545

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
                   border fence dispute with Mexico.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 13, 2007

 Mr. Chabot submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                    the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the 
                   border fence dispute with Mexico.

Whereas a border located near Columbus, New Mexico, along the United States-
        Mexico border has not been questioned over the last 120 years;
Whereas, in 2000, the United States constructed a much longer border fence along 
        a large portion of the uncontested United States-Mexico border, at a 
        cost of $500,000 per mile;
Whereas, in March 2007, aerial surveys revealed that 1.5 miles of the fence, 
        near Columbus, New Mexico, was constructed on Mexican land;
Whereas the United States promptly notified the Mexican Government of the error;
Whereas the Mexican Government recently contacted the Department of State to 
        request that the fence be removed as soon as possible;
Whereas removing the fence will cost the United States Government $3,000,000;
Whereas the United States and Mexico have had a strong bilateral relationship, 
        particularly over the last several years;
Whereas upon enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement, Mexico has 
        become the United States second largest trading partner;
Whereas with the new economic relationship came greater cooperation between the 
        United States and Mexico in the areas of counter-narcotics, law 
        enforcement, and trade;
Whereas the United States has provided more than $270,000,000 in aid to Mexico 
        between 2004 and 2007, with more than $140,000,000 going to counter-
        narcotics and law enforcement;
Whereas, in 1889, the International Boundary and Water Commission was 
        established to apply boundary and water treaties between the United 
        States and Mexico;
Whereas the International Boundary and Water Commission is charged with making 
        recommendations for the resolution of border problems; and
Whereas the United States section of the International Boundary and Water 
        Commission should work with the Mexican section to resolve the border 
        dispute jointly: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the United States should work with Mexico through the 
        respective sections of the International Boundary and Water 
        Commission to resolve the border fence dispute before assuming 
        sole financial responsibility for removing the fence; and
            (2) if the Mexican Government does not respect the 
        authority of the International Boundary and Water Commission to 
        resolve border problems, the United States Government should 
        reduce its foreign assistance to Mexico by the amount the 
        United States expends to remove and reconstruct the fence on 
        United States territory.
                                 <all>