WASHINGTON, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. John Rockefeller on Thursday fought back an amendment on the Senate floor that would have struck $39.7 million for the continued expansion of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Advanced Training Center, which is used to train senior CBP officers in Harpers Ferry, W.Va.
The amendment was defeated by a vote of 61-35.
"Customs and Border Protection is vital to our nation's homeland security," Rockefeller, D-W.Va., said in a press release. "And this facility, a one-of-a-kind training center for senior officers, is essential to maintaining the agency's excellence and ensuring our communities are protected. It is a great source of pride to West Virginia.
"This is not a stand-alone project or an isolated investment -- it is part of a Master Plan that has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Homeland Security and transmitted to Congress in 2007."
