SEN. CORNYN SEEKS MONEY TO PROTECT BORDER

EL PASO -- As the violence in Juarez drags on, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn
and other political leaders are seeking an infusion of tax dollars
for the border to make sure El Pasoans and others along the Texas
border remain safe.

The money that Cornyn, U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, and others
are asking for would go for purposes such as hiring more Border
Patrol agents and providing public subsidies for border hospitals
that treat shooting victims who cross into the U.S. seeking health care.

Cornyn, R-Texas, the ranking member of the Judiciary Subcommittee on
Immigration Reform, Refugees and Border Security, will be in El Paso
today. He will get a private briefing on the violence from the FBI
and the Drug Enforcement Administration before having a round-table
discussion with local law enforcement officials.

In a statement, Cornyn said he is coming to El Paso to make sure U.S.
officials are doing everything possible to keep the border safe and
secure. After his meetings, Cornyn will unveil new legislation that
would fast-track new funding for state and local law enforcement
agencies to buy equipment, upgrade critical information systems and
hire more officers to help with border enforcement.

The details of his legislation were not released Thursday.

Cornyn's visit comes a week after Reyes, U.S. Rep. Ciro Rodriguez,
D-Texas, and other Congress members from the Texas-Mexico border sent
a letter to the speaker of the House asking for emergency money. They
are asking for:

$70 million to hire 500 new Customs and Border Protection officers.

$100 million for CBP to pay the salaries of about 300 officers.

$50 million for Operation Stonegarden that will get to local law
enforcement agencies along the U.S.-Mexico border.

$32.2 million for 207 more Border Patrol agents.

$39.6 million to conduct ongoing background investigations of federal agents.

$200 million to support communication capabilities in remote areas
along the border.

$10 million to reimburse border communities for uncompensated
health-care costs.

Reyes said the money to help the hospitals was included because some
of the violence victims cannot pay the hospitals.

Since the drug violence began in Juarez, more than 70 victims of
shootings in Mexico have been treated at University Medical Center of
El Paso, according to previous reports. Treating 50 victims in 2008
cost the hospital about $1.4 million. Most of the victims were U.S.
citizens, and the county hospital is working with insurance
companies, federal programs and patients to get paid.

But because federal laws force the hospital to treat anyone who walks
in, regardless of citizenship or ability to pay, some of the money
for treating the victims will never be paid.

"I am reasonably confident that we will get the money," Reyes said of
the entire funding request made by the border caucus.

Rodriguez, who represents a small part of East El Paso as well as
Fort Hancock, said he is hoping to get money to the sheriff's
departments that patrol the border between El Paso and Eagle Pass.

He said Cornyn's visit would help secure that money.

"We all need to be on the same page," Rodriguez said. "We need to be
asking for the same items."

Reyes said he too was glad Cornyn was visiting the area. But he did
have one concern.

"What I hope is that he doesn't jump to conclusions and say he wants
the military at the border," Reyes said. "In my conversations with
Cornyn, we have focused on the need to continue with border security,
but we've told him we don't need to be talking about sending soldiers
to the border."

Since the beginning of 2008, nearly 5,000 people have been killed in
Juarez because of a drug war between two drug cartels.