NBC Montana: Tester urges Congress to fund border scanning technology for drug detection

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester is calling on congress to fully fund technology used to scan for fentanyl and other contraband at the southern border.

The technology would be included in the fiscal year 2023 homeland security appropriations bill ahead of the March 22 deadline.

These machines x-ray vehicles to spot illegal drugs as well as fentanyl.

And Tester says he’ll keep fighting to reduce drug smuggling at the southern border.

“It is going to take congressional action, it is going to take congress to act, to give the dollars to do this. This is an infrastructure project. These are big machines and they are not going to be installed unless congress acts. Congress had an opportunity to act with the bipartisan border security bill but did not,” said Tester in an interview with NBC Montana.

Tester says the scanners are currently sitting unused in warehouses because congress did not pass this bill.

NBC Montana will be following the senator’s push for funding and let you know what develops.