Governor Abbott Senator Cornyn And Congressman Cuellar Call on DHS to Request Flight Hours for Operation Phalanx

Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas) (WASHINGTON) Governor Greg Abbott Senator John Cornyn and Congressman Henry Cuellar today doubled down on their demand that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security should officially request flight hours for Operation Phalanx and the U.S. Department of Defense should agree to provide the assistance upon hearing word that the last Phalanx flight took off earlier this month. Operation Phalanx is a program through which the National Guard provides aerial surveillance detection and situational awareness capabilities in support of Border Patrol. Congress provided full funding for Operation Phalanx in Fiscal Year 2016. Given that the government is currently operating under a Continuing Resolution that full funding remains. While Operation Phalanx will officially end on December 31st if there is not an approved request for additional flight hours for 2017 according to the National Guard the aerial support flights have ended and they will be terminating contracts for hanger space and housing. CBP Commissioner Kerlikowske had last month sent a letter to Brian McKeon the Department of Defense Under Secretary for Policy expressing appreciation for DoDs support. While this letter was welcomed it did not make a formal request for support. Abbott Cornyn and Cuellar previously sent a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson requesting information on why the Department has chosen not to request flight hours for 2017 and on how the Department plans to fill in the gaps this lack of support will present.  That letter has not yet been responded to. To read the full letter click here.