Senate $42.9 Billion Spending Bill: Quick Glance

This was written by Brynn Koeppen on Monday, July 13, 2009, 17:00.

In a Senate vote of 84-6 Congress approved a $42.9 billion budget for the 2010 fiscal year. A version of the Department of Homeland Security bill was passed by the House last month. Here are the highlights: 

•  $10.1 billion: for US border control, emphasizing the US Mexican border in lieu of spiked weapons and drug trafficking in recent months. 
• $400 million for funding and research in cyber security, a 27% increase from the DHS 2009 bill 
• an amendment that does not require the release of abused US detainee pictures, American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit to make the images public 
• an amendment that supports US citizens buying prescription drugs from Canada as long as it complies with US law
• a 700-mile physical fence is scheduled for completion along the Mexican border by the end of 2010 
• E-Verify, the voluntary program that verifies the immigration status of individuals desiring to live in the US will now be required by all federal contractors by September 8th of this year.