Source: US Spending Bill to Boost Border Security, Election Safeguards
by Reuters and Algemeiner Staff
Congress’ massive federal government spending deal includes additional funding to boost border security, protect the upcoming elections in November and rebuild aging infrastructure, a source familiar with the negotiations said on Wednesday.
While the source said a final overall spending agreement had not been reached, other Republican and Democratic congressional aides have told Reuters that leaders plan to unveil their agreement on the $1.3 trillion spending bill later on Wednesday.
So far, the package earmarks $1.6 billion for some fencing along the US border with Mexico and other technological border security efforts, the source said.
It includes a further $307 million that the Trump administration had requested for the FBI to counter Russian cyberattacks this year, and $380 million for US states to improve their technology ahead of November’s congressional election, according to the source.
The planned measure allocates $10 billion of infrastructure spending for highways, airports and railroads, as well as an increase of $2.8 billion to fund treatment, prevention and research into opioid addiction, the source said.