CUELLAR SUPPORTS $44 BILLION HOMELAND SECURITY BILL,
Written by Post Public Information Representative, Jun 26, 2009, 0 Comments
HOUSE PASSES NEARLY $44 BILLION FOR DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY, INCLUDING CUELLAR AMENDMENT PREVENTING GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS FROM FLYING FIRST-CLASS
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Laredo) helped pass late Wednesday H.R. 2892, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act 2010, funding $44 billion for the Department of Homeland Security and the agencies it oversees. It includes over $10 billion for U.S. Customs and Border Protection and over $5 billion for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. As part of the bill, the House overwhelmingly passed Congressman Cuellar’s amendment preventing those government agencies funded by H.R. 2892 from booking first-class travel with taxpayer dollars, except for certain exemptions under law.
“With this bill we’ve voted to secure this country, channeling dollars to the frontlines of our borders, our ports and to those organizations that protect the homeland everyday. Their hard work keeps us safe at home,” said Congressman Cuellar. “At the same time, there has never been a more important time to cut costs and reduce waste, and first-class travel on the taxpayer dime must take a backseat.”
The House passed the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act 2010 by a vote of 389-37, and appropriated $44 billion to the Department of Homeland Security which oversees seven major departments, such as CBP, ICE and FEMA. Over $11 billion will go towards combating border violence and drug trafficking along the Southern border, including over $3.5 billion to fund 20,219 Border Patrol agents, 17,000 of whom will be based on the Southern border. There will be $26.1 million for counterdrug initiatives, including $10 million for additional scanning systems for southbound lanes.
“These dollars make it possible for our border patrol agents to do their jobs, and it expands the resources they have on the ground to protect our communities,” said Congressman Cuellar. “And by creating over 500 new jobs, this bill puts Americans to work as it works to secure our nation.”
The bill also provides $4.9 million of increased funding for Customs and Border Protection to handle the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which as of June 1st, requires all travelers to use passports or other approved travel documentation when reentering the United States by land and sea. And there is an additional $60 million for Operation Stonegarden, to assist border communities with additional law enforcement costs associated with border security.
Other parts of the bill include funding for the following:
Coast Guard: $9.97 billion of mandatory funding and money to improve port security, marine safety and efforts to stop the flow of illegal drugs into this country, $1.3 billion specifically to be used towards maritime narcotics enforcement.
ICE: $97.8 million for ICE to combat international trade in illicit drugs, weapons smuggling and crimes associated with violence along the Southern border; $70 million will specifically go towards initiating more ICE investigations, intelligence activities and international programs.
FEMA: $2 billion in disaster relief funding and $935 million for FEMA response and support.
State Grants: $950 million for states, including Texas, to train and equip local first responders to respond to acts of terrorism and catastrophic events.
Fire Grants: $810 million to help local fire departments staff and equip their departments (including SAFER grants)
TSA: $7.7 billion to fund the Transportation and Security Administration, including $1 billion in funding to purchase and install explosive detection systems at airports nationwide.
