New anti-terrorism legislation will triple the number of Border Patrol agents and Customs inspectors along the Washington-Canadian border.
A bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday will provide an additional $100 million to the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Customs Service to also improve technology for monitoring the 4,000-mile border with Canada and to acquire additional equipment for border agents.
The Senate adopted a similar measure Thursday.
“It’s a shot in the arm where we need it most,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), who has pressed for more border agents and high-tech gear since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, whose congressional district includes the North Olympic Peninsula, said:
“The magnitude of this increase will address what is clearly a serious vulnerability on our state’s and our nation’s northern border.”
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