CONGRESSMAN HENRY CUELLAR ANNOUNCES $2.5 MILLION TO ENHANCE BORDER SECURITY IN WEBB COUNTY
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Jun 8, 2009, 0 Comments
Washington, D.C. –Congressman Henry Cuellar announced today that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security awarded Webb County $2.5 million under Operation Stonegarden, an initiative to fund the enhancement of localized law enforcement border security operations.
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) focuses on enhancing law enforcement preparedness and operational readiness along the land borders of the United States. OPSG provides funding to designated localities to enhance cooperation and coordination among federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement agencies to secure the United States’ land borders.
“As both a Congressman representing a border district and a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, I am proud to see Operation Stonegarden dollars delivered to Webb County,” Congressman Cuellar said. “These funds will support the closer coordination of state and federal enforcement and will help Webb County target additional resources so that our international borders remain secure.”
Also today, Congressman Cuellar lauded the efforts of DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano for the formation of the Homeland Security Advisory Council Southwest Border Task Force, a group of 20 elected officials and diverse national security experts charged with examining the department’s efforts along the U.S.-Mexico Border and providing advice and recommendations directly to the Secretary.
Congressman Cuellar, a staunch supporter of border security, filed a bill in Congress earlier this year that called for the creation of a similar task force.
“With the on-going violence in Mexico, one of the missions of this group is to ensure that the violence does not spill over to the United States. I am pleased that Secretary Napolitano has created this task force and I look forward to continuing my work with her and sharing ideas on how best to secure our borders,” said Congressman Cuellar. “This task force will collect critical data that will help put an end to drug and weapon trafficking.”
