To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. UPDATES & RESPONSES DHS FY 2010 budget request rises by 4.9 percent THE BUDGET OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (DHS) WOULD RISE 4.9 PERCENT IN FISCAL YEAR (FY) 2010 TO $55.1 BILLION UNDER A BUDGET REQUEST SUBMITTED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO CONGRESS ON MAY 7. Of the total amount, gross discretionary spending would rise 5.9 percent to $45.7 billion, including fees for airport security. “Our proposed budget strengthens current efforts that are vital to our nation’s security, bolsters our ability to respond to emerging and evolving threats, and enables DHS to embrace new responsibilities,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in a press statement. “This budget represents a critical investment in the protection of the American people.” Napolitano stated that the budget has five priorities: counterterrorism; border security; enforcement of immigration laws; disaster preparedness, response and recovery; and department unification. The department also hopes to reduce costs by increasing cooperation with state and local law enforcement, international allies, the private sector, and other federal departments, expanding DHS’ science and technology portfolio and maximizing operational efficiency. Across government, President Barack Obama requested $69.8 billion for homeland security activities, a 1.5 percent increase over last year. The increase affects 31 government agencies, with five agencies—the departments of Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Justice and Energy accounting for 93 percent of the total, or $64.9 billion. United States to Mexico. That funding would pay for 44 additional Border Patrol agents and eight support staff as well as 65 officers of US Customs and Border Patrol and eight support staff. The US northern border would receive $20 million in targeted funds to support the rollout of the Secure Border Initiative-Network (SBInet) to the northern border. The budget also provides $10 million to fund 80 new positions for the E-Verify employment verification program. PHONE: HSToday WWW.HSToday.US ™ P.O. Box 9789, McLean, Va. 22101-3611 800-503-6506 FAX: 866-503-5758 PUBLISHER Kimberley S. Hanson-Brown PHONE: 800-503-6506 khanson@HSToday.us EDITOR David Silverberg PHONE: 703-757-0520 editor@HSToday.US SENIOR REPORTER Anthony Kimery akimery@HSToday.us BUSINESS EDITOR Philip Leggiere Business@HSToday.us WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENTS Mickey McCarter Kelley Vlahos REGIONAL CORRESPONDENTS NORTH AMERICA Detection and transportation “In this budget, no new programs are being added, and programs that are ineffective are being terminated,” Peggy Sherry, acting DHS chief financial officer, told reporters on a conference call announcing the budget. “The administration proposes to eliminate items that represent stovepipes or have provided little return on the security investment or where technology is obsolete.” The cuts save the department an estimated $67 million, Sherry said. The budget proposal requested $3.9 billion for grants, although it eliminated funding for a trucking security program and an inner-city bus security grant program. The truck security program still has funding from fiscal 2009, Sherry said, while the inner-city bus program would be folded into the transit security grant program. The budget request also includes no new funding for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO), which procures radiation portal monitors for US ports of entry. “From the nuclear detection aspect, this simply represents that we have a significant amount of funds already appropriated for the programs, and it’s not a change in direction at this time,” said a DHS official participating in the conference call. “It’s really more of an understanding that it would be more prudent not to ask for more funds when we have a delay in the new technology coming forward, and we really think it’s just a chance to take a pause in asking for more money at this time while we get the certification complete and then start rolling out and assess our plans, then come back and see where our funding needs are after that,” he said. —By Mickey McCarter with DHS statements Chuck Hustmyre—New Orleans Sara Francis Fujimura—Phoenix Jeff O’Neill—Boston Jana Schroeder—Mexico City Michael Peltier—Tallahassee WR Stephens—Toronto Liza Porteus Viana—New York EUROPE Matt Baglio—Rome Raffaello Pantucci—London COLUMNISTS Philip Finnegan Michael Paddock Science Correspondent Lakshmi Sandhana IT Correspondent Hank Hogan CONTRIBUTING WRITER Daniel M. Gerstein COPY EDITOR PROOFREADER Kelly Medina Kristen Loesch ART DIRECTOR Michelle Wandres PHONE: 301-972-2682 FAX: 301-972-2892 production@HSToday.US SUBSCRIBER SERVICES Debbie Young PHONE: 1-800-503-6506 FAX: 1-866-503-5758 subscriptions@hstoday.us HSToday is published monthly by KMD Media LLC, 6800 Fleetwood Road, Suite 1114, McLean, Va. 22101-3611. Annual subscription rates: $49.95 for 12 issues U.S. domestic mail; $69.95 Canada; $99.95 international mail. Periodicals postage paid at McLean, VA, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to HSToday, P.O. Box 292995, Dayton, OH 45429-8995. © Copyright 2009 HSToday. All rights reserved Funding pluses The budget proposed to add $9 million for 109 bomb appraisal officers to spot improvised explosive devices (IEDs) at airports and $50 million for Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response teams to guard surface transportation. The DHS Office of Bombing Prevention would receive $4.2 million under the proposal to defeat IEDs. The request includes a $10 million increase for the Intermodal Security Coordination Office within the Office of Policy “to support integrated planning between DHS and the Department of Transportation in the area of maritime transportation, as well as in other homeland security mission areas,” according to the DHS budget in brief. For border security initiatives, the budget request added $26.1 million to interdict southbound arms and currency smuggling from the 2007 CentralSoutheast Region 2007 CentralSoutheast Region 2005 CentralSoutheast Region 2005 CentralSoutheast Region Bronze Special Section Bronze Special Supplement Silver Special Section Bronze Regular Department 4 June 2009 | Homeland Security Today Magazine This month’s issue is now available online at…