Senators press for National Guard troops on border

By LOLITA C. BALDOR Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Homeland Security and Pentagon officials are at loggerheads over a plan to send National Guard troops to the U.S.-Mexico border, even as President Barack Obama is pledging to bolster security there.

After nearly a year of indecision, frustrated lawmakers are demanding action to stem the spread of violence and drug trafficking that has spilled across the border into their states. The inaction raises questions about whether the White House is convinced the federally funded deployment is necessary, or whether border states will be forced to bear the costs of dispatching the Guard troops on their own.

Fueling the discord is the federal response to the Gulf oil spill, which has included authorization for up to 17,000 National Guard troops.