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Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa: District 20
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Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2015
Contact: Desiree Castro
(512) 463-0120 office
SENATOR HINOJOSA ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RELEASE BORDER SECURITY PROPOSAL

AUSTIN, TX — Today, Senator Hinojosa announces that he will release a Border Security Proposal in the coming days to work in collaboration with current budget recommendations. Senator Hinojosa's proposal does not include extending the deployment of the National Guard Troops along the state's border. The deployment of 1,000 troops, which cost tens of millions of dollars, was set to end in March. To fund the Guard through May will cost an additional $12 million and does not adequately address the needs of our communities in the border area.

In December 2014, the Legislative Budget Board approved an additional $86.1 million to continue the state's border security efforts through August 2015. The funding was to be used to wind down the National Guard presence along the Rio Grande Valley border, a presence Senator Hinojosa has opposed from the very beginning.

Currently, the proposed Senate Budget adds $815 million for border security and a supplemental bill would be needed to fund the Guard deployment through the end of the August which would allow the legislature to make the decision to keep the Guard on the border longer.

Senator Hinojosa issued the following statement:

"Utilizing the National Guard creates an image of militarization of the border and sends the wrong message. We can make better use of our money on border security by investing funds in a DPS training facility in the Valley so that troopers will become acclimated and familiar with our Valley culture and communities.

We can also invest in providing additional funding to our local communities who need more resources to hire more police officers and deputies as well as additional funding to hire more Texas Rangers, Game Wardens, and DPS troopers.

I intend to release a detailed border security proposal and work with my Senate colleague to craft a solution. It is my priority to ensure the safety and security of our families living along the border and to support cost effective and carefully crafted border security measures."

Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa proudly represents the counties of Nueces, Jim Wells, Brooks, and Hidalgo (part). Senator Hinojosa serves as the Senate President Pro Tempore of the Texas Senate in the 84th Texas Legislature. Senator Hinojosa currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, a member of the Select Committee on Transportation Funding, Joint-Interim Committee to Study Water Desalination, and serves on the Senate Committees on Natural Resources and Economic Development, Criminal Justice, Agriculture, Water and Rural Affairs, as well as the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), the Sunset Advisory Commission and Chairman of the Subcommittee Studying the Impact of Mexico's Energy Reforms on Texas.

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