"Lunch-eating" McAllen Monitor reports Henry wants more UAVs

Henry Cuellar wants a few more drones for Texas

Just a few hours ago, the "lunch-eating" McAllen Monitor had the following story. It has to with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) otherwise known as drones. The congressman doesn't think it right that Arizona, which accounts for one fifth of the Mexican border has more drones than Texas, and its two-thirds portion of the border with Mexico. No word yet if they will be used in Laredo's war on the beer runs.

From the McAllen Monitor

McALLEN — Legislation that would build the infrastructure needed to house a second drone along the Texas-Mexico border was passed in the U.S. House of Representatives this week.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, included an amendment in the 2012 Military Construction and Veterans Appropriations Act that calls for the construction of a hangar along the Texas border, according to a news release from the congressman’s office.

“This legislation directs the Army National Guard and Air National Guard to look at additional locations on the Southwest border where we can strategically locate an additional hangar and house UAVs in the near future,” said Cuellar, referring to the drones as unmanned aerial vehicles.

Texas lawmakers are hopeful that an additional drone will be placed along the Texas border, which stretches more than 1,200 miles, by the end of the year. At least two UAVs are being manufactured as part of the 2010 Emergency Border Security Supplemental Appropriations Bill, which put aside $600 million to secure the border and fight drug trafficking. The drones are expected to be distributed at the end of the year and Texas congressmen want at least one for the state.

Of the four UAVs currently patrolling the U.S.-Mexico border, three are stationed in Arizona, which occupies one-fifth of the border. Texas occupies two-thirds of it.The state’s first drone is housed in Corpus Christi but is unable to operate in poor weather. Cuellar said constructing an additional hangar elsewhere on the border would eliminate disruptions in service and allow the UAVs to patrol more area.

“As UAVs prove to be effective in our daily efforts to combat border violence, it is necessary to work on securing more hangars, especially as we prepare to receive additional UAVs in Texas,” he said.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.