Senate Panel OKs Border Patrol Funds : Immigration: Appropriations Committee approves money to hire up to 600 agents. The measure also restores 93 positions eliminated in the proposed federal budget.

Acting quickly to curtail the flow of illegal immigrants, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $131-million immigration package Thursday that includes hiring up to 600 additional Border Patrol agents for the nation’s Southwest border.

The boost in staffing, sought by members of the California congressional delegation, would also restore 93 Border Patrol positions eliminated in President Clinton’s proposed budget for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The funding package also provides $75 million for 1,750 additional beds at several new Immigration and Naturalization Service processing centers in the Southwest.

On July 1, the House overwhelmingly passed an amendment by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-El Cajon) to add 600 agents at a cost of $60 million. The strong bipartisan majority in the House that supported the increase--111 Democrats and 153 Republicans--suggests the measure should sail through Congress.

The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the immigration package on a voice vote Thursday as part of a $23.5-billion bill that would finance operations for the Commerce, Justice and State departments during the next fiscal year. The measure goes next to the Senate floor.

The Senate action took place as the issue of illegal immigration and its impact on the national economy is heating up in Washington. The Clinton Administration is expected to unveil a revamped immigration policy soon.

“This situation is getting bad all over the country,” said Sen. Robert S. Byrd (D-W. Va.), chairman of the Appropriations Committee. “And it’s about time we wake up to that fact.”

The legislation was urged by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the first Californian to sit on the Senate Appropriations Committee in 24 years. Earlier, Feinstein wrote Sen. Ernest F. Hollings (D-S.C.), chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary, that the Border Patrol package was her top priority for consideration by his panel.

“For years, the Border Patrol has been treated as the stepchild of the Department of Justice with inadequate supplies and not enough staff,” Feinstein said. “Adding 600 additional agents and restoring the 93 agents cut in the President’s budget signals the federal government is willing to meet its responsibilities to enforce our borders.”

The Senate measure provided about $40 million--or $20 million less than the House’s measure--to hire the 600 agents. A Feinstein spokesman said the Senate figure was based on revised cost estimates provided by the Department of Justice and INS officials.

“I intend to have my staff monitor the hiring of new agents with the view that it be done on an expedited basis so agents can be brought on-line as soon as possible,” Feinstein said. “If more funds are necessary, it is my belief the Appropriations Committee will approve the request.”

Feinstein discussed immigration issues with visiting Democratic California Assembly members, who completed a two-day visit to Washington on Thursday after meeting with Clinton Administration officials and legislators. The legislators also visited the borders in San Diego and El Paso earlier in the week.

The group, led by Assemblyman Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles), touted its own 12-point proposal in its sessions. It includes creating a federal immigration commission, improving the backlogged naturalization process for permanent residents awaiting citizenship, upgrading training for Border Patrol agents and acquiring federal funds for California to educate those who were granted amnesty under the 1986 immigration reform act.

“It appears there’s going to be strong support for increasing the number of agents in the Border Patrol,” Polanco said. At the same time, “we should not forget the importance” of speeding up the process of naturalizing those whose application for citizenship is pending.