Bush Gives Speech on Homeland Security Budget

With Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge, Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta, and a contingent of Coast Guard personnel standing behind him, President Bush delivered a Speech announcing that he intends to seek major budget increases to fund homeland security. The budget proposal to be submitted to Congress will seek $38 billion for homeland security, of which $11 billion would be devoted to controlling the U.S. borders. The President also discussed his admiration for the Coast Guard and its many missions. A fact sheet released by the White House in conjunction with the President's speech indicates that the Coast Guard's budget for homeland security-related missions would be increased by $282 million, the budget of the Customs Service would be increased by $619 million, the INS budget would be increased by $1.2 billion, and the Department of Agriculture's budget for its Quarantine Inspection program would be increased by $14 million. Source: HK Law