Texas House, Senate differ on border security money

By Brandi Grissom / Austin Bureau
Article Launched: 04/07/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT

AUSTIN -- Texas legislators are at odds over how much to spend on border security, which agencies should get that money and how it should be used.

Though the House version of the two-year state budget grants Gov. Rick Perry the full $100 million he has asked for to enhance border security, the Senate has adopted a measure that would provide just $55 million.

Donald Reay, executive director of the Texas Border Sheriffs Coalition, said his group preferred the House's border security approach.

"We think that is a more equitable distribution," said Reay, a former training director in the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.

The House budget sends border security dollars to the governor's homeland security department. Much of that money would then be awarded as state grants to border law enforcement agencies.

The Senate would give most of the money directly to the Texas Department of Public Safety and not to local sheriffs and police departments.