Border fence proponents slam Hutchison

BROWNSVILLE, Texas, Jan. 11 (UPI) -- A federal budget bill amendment put sponsor U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison under strong scrutiny from conservatives who feel it compromises border protection.

Conservative radio stations have reportedly been in an uproar because of Texas Republican Hutchison's decision and feel that she sneakily added the amendment last month, which changed the Secure Fence Act and gave Homeland Security officials more discretion to decide where it is needed, The San Antonio Express reported Friday.

Secure Fence Act author Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., told reporters that the Texas senator's change was "either a blatant oversight or a deliberate attempt to disregard the border security of our country."

The amendment was proposed in May and was collectively approved by the Senate on three separate occasions, Chief of Staff for Hutchison Marc Short reportedly said.

University of Texas professor and Texas property owner, Eloisa Garcia Tamez told reporters that she is up for a fight to keep government officials off of land that has been in her family since 1767.