Houston Chronicle
WASHINGTON -- The author of the law that requires walling off 700 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border scoffed Friday at government estimates pegging construction and maintenance costs as high as $49 billion.
Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., dismissed recent estimates by the Congressional Research Service as "phony analyses" by "naysayers." He emphasized his belief that the fencing segments, which would span more than 300 miles of Texas' border with Mexico, could be built for $2.1 billion, or $3 million a mile.
As proof, Hunter cited bids from three contractors who say they can build the required double-layered fencing for less than the $3 million a mile.
Posted by tyne at January 14, 2007