Homeland Security Today | House DHS Budget Boosts Border Security, Cybersecurity; Nixes Revamp of FEMA Grants

House DHS Budget Boosts border Security, Cybersecurity; Nixes Revamp of FEMA Grants
By Mickey McCarter | Homeland Security Today | May 11, 2012

House appropriators Wednesday approved a homeland security budget that was slightly less than that proposed by the White House for fiscal year (FY) 2013 while boosting spending for border security, cybersecurity and first responder grant programs.

But while the bill would increase grant spending over levels enacted in FY 2012, the House Appropriations homeland security subcommittee rejected the combined National Preparedness Grant Program proposed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to roll 16 separate grant programs into one.

Overall, the bill would provide DHS with $39.1 billion in discretionary funding for FY 2013, a decrease of about $484 million below levels enacted last year and a decrease of $393 million from the level proposed by the White House. Most agencies would see slight cuts from levels enacted in FY 2012.

During the markup hearing Wednesday, Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-Ala.), chairman of the subcommittee, said the bill demonstrates fiscal responsibility while promoting national security.

“[T]he bill prioritizes funding for frontline personnel such as the Border Patrol, CBP officers, Coast Guard military personnel, and law enforcement agents; supports the largest immigration detention capacity in ICE’s history; sustains high-risk aviation security; fully funds the known requirement for disaster relief; supports long overdue initiatives in cybersecurity; and robustly supports intelligence, watchlisting, threat targeting systems, preparedness grants, and science and technology programs including the National Agro- and Bio-Defense Facility,” Aderholt said.

For US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the bill would provide $10.2 billion, $9.4 million more than enacted last year and $77 million above the White House request. That funding would support 21,370 Border Patrol agents and 21,186 CBP officers. It also would provide $117 million for inspection and detection technology and another $518 million for the CBP Office of Air and Marine, counter to cuts proposed by the White House. The legislation would allocate another $327 million for border security fencing, infrastructure and technology.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would get $5.5 billion, down $76.8 million from last year, but up $141.6 million as compared to the White House request. The spending measure would provide more than $1.7 billion for investigation programs, including $35 million for the Visa Security Program, $78 million for the ICE Office of Intelligence, and an increase of $11 million to fight human trafficking. The ICE Secure Communities program would receive $138 million and the agency’s detention beds for housing illegal aliens would receive $2.7 billion to fund 34,000 beds.

The bill also would provide the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) with $5.1 billion, down $422 million from last year and $146.5 million less than the White House's request. The bill would preserve funding for training pilots and flight crew as federal flight deck officers. The bill would spend $350 million for upgrades to airport explosive detection systems for checked baggage. The bill also would reject proposals to raise the passenger security fee from $2.50 per trip to $5 -- an increase championed by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would be allocated $2.8 billion for first responder grants, including $1.8 billion for state and local grant programs, an increase of more than $400 million over last year’s levels. The bill also would provide $670 million, as requested, to Assistance to Firefighter Grants and $350 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants. As with the White House request, the House bill would fully fund FEMA’s projected requirements for disaster relief funds.

Under the bill the US Coast Guard would get $10 billion, a decrease of $63 million from last year, but $211.7 million more than requested by the White House. Much of that difference would go toward Coast Guard recapitalization of its aging fleet, which would experience a 20 percent cut in the White House proposal for FY 2013.

For the US Secret Service, the bill would provide the agency with $1.6 billion, down $53.8 million from last year but $12 million higher than the White House request.

The House appropriations measure also would fund DHS cybersecurity efforts with $748.9 million, up $306 million from last year but $20 million below the White House request. The Domestic Nuclear Detection Office would receive $316.3 million to detect and deter weapons of mass destruction, an increase of $26.3 million above last year.

The bill would restore some funding to the DHS Science and Technology Directorate by allocating $826 million to research and development under the wing, an increase of $158 million from last year but down $5.5 million from the White House request.

But the bill would punish the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) program administered by the National Preparedness and Programs Directorate by providing it with only $45.4 million, a decrease of about $48 million from last year and $29.1 million below the White House request.

“This reduction is due to significant managerial problems, program delays, and poor budget execution,” appropriators said in a statement accompanying the budget figures.

Democrats called the bill not quite perfect but they too found plenty to praise about it. Rep. Norm Dicks (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, Wednesday said the spending bill would address important priorities.

“I am particularly pleased with the bill's funding for cybersecurity,” Dicks said at the bill’s markup hearing. “Earlier this year, FBI Director Mueller warned that cyberattacks will soon become one of the biggest threats to America's safety, possibly surpassing the threat level posed by terrorism. I believe that the director is absolutely correct, and I am happy to note that the bill increases funding for DHS's critical cybersecurity activities -- including intrusion detection and continuous monitoring -- by $300 million over FY 2012.”

Rep. David Price (D-NC), ranking member of the subcommittee, Wednesday hailed the appropriations bill as “bipartisan.”

“While I don't agree with everything in this bill, I applaud you and your staff for retaining adequate funding for the frontline employees of the Department of Homeland Security, so that they can continue to conduct critical operations along our borders, protect our nation's airports and seaports, and respond to the spate of natural disasters our country has experienced this spring,” Price told Aderholt.

“The bill substantially increases funding for critical grant programs while rejecting the poorly articulated changes to the grant structure; changes that have not been authorized. Specifically, I want to thank you for funding FEMA State and Local grants by $416 million over fiscal year 2012, and keeping both fire grants and emergency performance grants at the requested levels,” he added, criticizing the DHS National Preparedness Grant Program proposal.

Both Democrats decried proposed cuts to DHS management funding and little funding for the planned consolidation of DHS headquarters at the St. Elizabeth’s campus in Washington, DC.

The full House Appropriations Committee may take up the DHS spending measure next week. The Senate Appropriations Committee also may begin markup of a DHS spending bill as early as next week.

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