The fiscal year 2007 homeland security portion of the proposed federal budget has been designed to help enhance the security of America’s borders and improve the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws, according to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The fiscal 2007 budget provides $58.3 billion -- a $3.4 billion, 6 percent increase over 2006 -- to support the homeland security activities of 32 government agencies, including the Department of Defense, in areas such as improving nuclear detection and defense; safeguarding critical infrastructure; establishing interoperability standards for first responders; and improving terrorism information sharing among all levels of government. The budget proposal is only a first step in the long and often arduous process in which Congress sets spending priorities and crafts specific appropriations bills. Final figures often differ from levels of spending requested by the president.
(Source: Washington File)