President Could Soon Sign $600 Million Border Security Measure

With the House passage of a $600 million border security bill Tuesday, one that differs only slightly from one passed unanimously by the Senate last week, a senior aide to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., tells Fox, "In light of the vote in the House, the hope is that we can pass the bill by consent by the end of the week."

This would not require senators to return to Washington as their House colleagues did today, rather they would be queried from afar as to whether or not they support the bill. If there are no objections, then the bill will pass after a brief floor session.

The Senate chamber will actually have to open up for business ever so briefly, with minimal floor staff coming in for work. A senator would have to be in the presiding officer's chair, and another would have to make a motion that the bill be passed.

Once that is done, the legislation would head to President Obama's desk.

The measure funds 1,000 new border patrol agents and 250 customs and border protection officers all on the southwestern border with Mexico. In addition, the measure will also increase the number of civil, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV's).

The bill is fully offset by an increase in high tech fees for four Indian companies, Infosys, Tata, Wipro, and Mahindra Satyam. The companies have protested the fee hike to no avail.