Senate Will Return Thursday To Pass Border Bill

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has called the Senate back into session tomorrow to vote on a $600 million bill aimed at beefing up security along the U.S./Mexico border.

The House yesterday passed its version of the bill, but due to procedural rules, the Senate must also pass it before President Barack Obama can sign the bill into law. Since the measure is expected to pass on a voice vote, the presence of only a handful of Senators is required.

The legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), would send 1,500 Customs and Border Patrol agents to the southwest border. The cost of the bill is offset by an increase on visa application fees paid by companies that employ 50 or more non-immigrant, skilled foreign employees.

In addition to the border security measure, the Senate will vote on a resolution to recognize the death of former Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), who died in a plane crash sometime either late Monday night or early Tuesday morning…