Full Committee Approves FY04 Homeland Security

Appropriations Bill The Chairman's mark provides $29.4 for operations and activities of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in fiscal year 2004, an increase of $535.7 million (1.8 percent) above the fiscal year 2003 enacted levels and $1 billion (3.7 percent) above the President's request. The Chairman's mark recognizes that, while the Department of Homeland Security has the lead in developing our national homeland security strategy, implementation of the strategy requires the active participation of state and local governments and the private sector. It also recognizes that many of the agencies merged into DHS on March 1, 2003 have traditional missions that must continue in concert with newly established priorities for homeland security. The bill strikes a balance between these missions and supports partnerships with state and local governments and the private sector as we seek ways to protect our country from future terrorist attacks. click here for summary table amounts (requires Adobe Acrobat) Supporting State and Local First Responders The mark provides $4.4 billion for the Office of Domestic Preparedness, Firefighters, and Emergency Management; this is $888 million above the amounts proposed by the President. Since September 11th, and including the amounts requested by the President for grants funded outside the jurisdiction of the Homeland Security Subcommittee, this brings total support of First Responders to $20.8 billion. Specifically, the mark includes: $1.9 billion for the Office for Domestic Preparedness' basic formula grant program; $500 million for state and local law enforcement terrorism prevention grants; $500 million for high-threat, high-density urban areas; $200 million Infrastructure Grants; $750 million for Firefighter Grants; $168 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants; $35 million for a new competitive grant program for Centers for Emergency Preparedness; $125 million for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium: and $134 million for technical assistance, national exercises, standards, and testing. Protecting our Nation's Borders The Chairman's mark provides $9 billion for border protection and related activities, an increase of $400 million over fiscal year 2003 enacted levels (excluding Liberty Shield Coast Guard port security operations). This includes $2 billion for U.S. Coast Guard homeland security activities. Specific initiatives and efforts for border security include: $100 million for TSA port security grants, bringing the total to $488 million since September 11th; $129 million for inspection technologies for vehicles and cargo; $61.7 million for the Container Security Initiative; $12.1 million for the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism; $175 million for Air and Marine Interdiction for border and airspace security; and $530 million for "Deepwater". Enhancing Transportation Security The mark includes $5.172 billion for TSA, $360 million above the amounts requested by the President (including port security grants), funding for both aviation and non-aviation security: $1.673 billion for passenger screening; $1.284 billion for baggage screening efforts, including $235 million for the in line installation of explosive detection systems and $100 million for procurement of additional systems; $50 million for air cargo security; $10 million for intercity bus security; $22 million for highway and trucking security; and $10 million for transit security and training. Using Science and Technology to Protect our Nation The mark includes $900 million for Science and Technology, $97 million above amounts requested by the President. Funds are targeted to research, development, and deployment of innovative technologies, including those proposed by universities, national laboratories, not-for-profit organizations, and private companies: $484 million for development of nuclear, chemical, biological, and high explosives countermeasures; $80 million for the rapid development and prototyping of homeland security technologies; $60 million for research, development, and testing of antimissile devices for commercial aircraft; $40 million to deploy sensors to detect aerosolized bio-threats in large metropolitan areas; and $35 million for university-based centers of excellence. Protecting the Nation's Critical Infrastructure The mark includes $776 million for protecting the nation's critical infrastructure and key assets, an increase of $591 million over fiscal year 2003 enacted levels. $76 million for intelligence and warnings to develop timely, integrated, and accurate assessments of terrorist threats; $536.8 million for reducing the nation's vulnerability to terrorism, minimizing the damage, and assisting in the recovery from terrorist acts; and $163 million for administrative and outreach activities with federal, state, and local governments, and with the private sector which owns and operates 85 percent of the nation's infrastructure. Supporting Traditional Missions such as Immigration, Disaster Mitigation and Relief, Drug Interdiction, Law Enforcement, Maritime Safety and Security, and Trade $918 million for modernization of border, customs and immigration information technology, including $350 million for the US VISIT program and $318 million for the Automated Commercial Environment; $2.611 billion for traditional Coast Guard operating activities, including maritime safety, drug interdiction, fisheries, environmental, and humanitarian missions; $1.15 billion for the U.S. Secret Service; $1.8 billion for Disaster Relief; $9.5 million for textile transshipment; $238 million for immigration services; and $35 million for Emergency Operations Centers, a new competitive grant program to support community emergency operations centers. Other Provisions $5.6 billion over 10 years to encourage commercial development and production of medical countermeasures against bioterrorism (Bioshield), $890 million of which is available in fiscal year 2004;