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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Crisis and Emergency Management Newsletter Website |
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December
2007
Volume 13 -
Number 3 |
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FY
2008 DHS and FEMA Budgets
By: Scott Steward The FY08 budget request for the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS) totals $34.2. billion. This represents an increase of
$500 million over the FY07 budget. This request includes $2.55 billion
for grants for first responders, port security, local police forces, critical
infrastructure, and communication interoperability, and it is an increase
of $863 million over FY07. It also includes $6.4 billion for the Transportation
Security Agency and $8.75 billion for customs and boarder protection.
These are increases of $307 million and $797 million respectively over FY07
levels. Funding was also requested for dealing with visitors to the
United States. This includes $4.785 billion for immigration and customs
enforcement, an increase of $322 million over FY07, as well as $462 million
for tracking foreign visitors within the U.S, an increase of $99 million
over FY07. This request also includes $240 million for identifying
critical infrastructure and assessing the security vulnerability of the facilities,
which is an increase of $44 million over FY07. The operation of the
DHS department itself is expected to cost $995 million, which is a $72 million
increase over FY07. Additional requests include $164.5 million for
an emergency wireless communications system, $799 million for science and
technology development, and $562 million for domestic nuclear detection.
These amounts represent increases of $21 million, $41 million, and $81 million
over FY07 funding levels.
Part of the total DHS budget request is the FEMA budget which totals $8.02 billion. The request includes $667.6 million for FEMA operations, planning and support which is a $141.6 million increase over FY07. This also includes $1.7 billion for disaster relief funding, a $200 million increase over FY07. Additionally it includes $195 million for updating the flood maps used in determining flood insurance rates, an increase of $1 million over FY07. In order to help mitigate the impact of future disasters FEMA is requesting $100 million for efforts to reduce the risk associated with future disasters, this is the same amount as funded in FY07. Currently the DHS is operating on a continuing resolution. A funding bill for the DHS passed the U.S. House in June 2007. A DHS funding bill passed the U.S. Senate in July 2007. However, there has yet to be a Senate/House conference to reconcile the two bills. References http://www.fema.gov/txt/about/paulison/speeches/02-12-07_nema_keynote.txt http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=34749 http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/releases/pr_1170702193412.shtm http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app08.html |