Tunnel Vision: Doug Lamborn’s battle to ‘defeat tunnels’

Not wind farms. Not the National Renewable Energy Lab. Not health insurance. But, yes, tunnels. Colorado Republican Congressman Doug Lamborn is looking to double federal funding to “defeat tunnels,” as he puts it.

From a release:

“Congressman Lamborn has introduced H.R. 1649, The Partnering to Detect and Defeat Tunnels Act…

‘We must be able to defend against illicit tunnels, whether on our southern border today or against terrorist attacks in the future. The terrorist group Hamas used tunnels against Israel to devastating effect; we have already seen rebels using tunnels against the Syrian regime. Sadly we know that terrorists are quick to learn, so it is likely only a matter of time before we see a terrorist group attack a U.S. or allied facility with tunnels. Detecting and defeating tunnels is not an easy task. That’s why the government has already established an interagency tunnel working group and I am hopeful that my bill will aid in their efforts to protect ourselves and our allies.’

[T]his bill… Requires an annual report to Congress on tunnel threat proliferation [and] doubles current funding for existing U.S. government tunnel detection efforts.”

 

Photo courtesy of Phil Long. Creative Commons

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