Chairwoman Roybal-Allard Releases Fiscal Year 2021 Homeland Security Funding Bill

Chairwoman Roybal-Allard Releases Fiscal Year 2021 Homeland Security Funding Bill
Legislation provides $50.72 billion in discretionary funding, investing in smart, effective security, resources to meet humanitarian needs of migrants, and programs proven to keep Americans safe; Bill also prohibits funding for border wall and rejects additional Border Patrol Agents and border barriers

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Chairwoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40) and the Appropriations Committee today released the draft fiscal year 2021 Homeland Security funding bill, which will be considered in subcommittee tomorrow. The legislation provides annual funding for the components of the Department of Homeland Security.

The bill provides $50.72 billion in discretionary funding, including $48.1 billion in nondefense discretionary funding, the same level as fiscal year 2020, and $2.8 billion in defense funding, $250 million more than in fiscal year 2020. The bill also provides an additional $5.1 billion in funding for disaster relief and $215 million for overseas contingency operations.

"With the nation facing threats ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to terrorism and targeted violent extremism, our bill provides DHS with the funding it needs to protect American communities, including vital investments in disaster preparedness, secure seaports and borders, safety for air travelers, and cybersecurity," said Chairwoman Roybal-Allard. "Our bill fights for a more humane immigration approach, including the more restricted use of civil detention, expanded alternatives to detention, and the phase-out of family detention this year. We also include new measures to keep the Administration accountable and transparent -- including a prohibition on diverting any new money for President Trump's racist border wall boondoggle."

"This bill will strengthen our security and keep Americans safe while upholding our American values of fairness and respect," said House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey (NY-17). "Strong investments in modern, effective technologies will improve homeland security missions, from cybersecurity and disaster preparedness to border and maritime security. Our bill also provides resources to meet the humanitarian needs of migrants and, critically, it prohibits the administration from raiding funds for the President's wasteful border wall."

A summary of the draft fiscal year 2021 Homeland Security bill is below. The text of the bill is here. The subcommittee markup will be webcast live and linked from https://appropriations.house.gov/events/markups.

Bill Summary:

Management -- The bill provides $3.5 billion for the Office of the Secretary, executive management, and departmental management, an increase of $216.6 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $8.1 million above the President's budget request, including:
* $144.7 million, as requested, to maintain the current schedule for development of the DHS headquarters campus at St. Elizabeths.
* $36.2 million for the Office of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, an increase of $7.4 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $11.4 million above the request; and
* $20 million for the Office of Immigration Detention Ombudsman, an increase of $10 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $20 million above the request.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) -- The bill provides $14.6 billion in discretionary appropriations for CBP, $108.1 million below the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $1.15 billion below the request, including increases above the request of:
* $171 million for 1,150 new positions, as follows:
o $91 million for 850 CBP Officers;
o $10 million for 100 support personnel; and
o $30 million for 200 agriculture specialists;
* $531 million for new technology, including:
o $190 million for non-intrusive imaging technology;
o $190 million for border security technology;
o $45 million for innovative technology;
o $20 million for port of entry technology; and
o $86 million for three Multi-Role Enforcement Aircraft;
* $75 million for environmental mitigation of border barrier construction;
* $14 million for body worn cameras and other camera systems; and
* $20 million for the Office of Professional Responsibility to ensure that cameras in holding areas are operational.
* Provides no funding for additional Border Patrol Agents or border barriers.
* Rescinds $1.374 billion from the fiscal year 2020 Procurement, Construction, and Improvements account in response to the President's diversion of Department of Defense funding for border barrier construction.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) -- The bill provides $7.41 billion in discretionary appropriations for ICE, $668.8 million below the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $2.5 billion below the President's budget request, including:
* $3.31 billion for Enforcement and Removal Operations -- $1.12 billion below the 2020 enacted level and $2.4 billion below the request, including:
o $2.06 billion for an average daily population of 22,000 single adults in detention, of which 12,000 beds are unavailable during the public health emergency;
o A phase out of family detention by the end of 2020; and
o $146.7 million above the request to continue expanding Alternatives to Detention.
* $2.26 billion for Homeland Security Investigations, an increase of $220.1 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $39.2 million below the request.
* $10 million above the request to partially address the detention facility backlog for repairs and improvements at existing locations.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA) -- The bill includes $7.6 billion for TSA, an increase of $202.1 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $20.9 million below the request, including:
* $62.7 million to sustain Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response teams;
* $46.4 million to sustain the Local Law Enforcement Reimbursement Program;
* $90.1 million to continue funding TSA staffing of certain exit lanes;
* $75 million for computed tomography screening equipment, $46.1 million above the request;
* $55 million credential authentication and standoff detection technology; and
* $20 million for reimbursements to airports for legacy purchases of in-line explosive detection systems.

Coast Guard -- The bill includes $12.8 billion for the Coast Guard, an increase of $846.7 million above the 2020 enacted level and $711.2 million above the request, as follows:
* $8.56 billion for Operations and Support, an increase of $379 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $182.5 million above the request. Increases above the request include:
o $17.3 million to support training and course development, retention and recruitment, and mental health services;
o $78 million for operational and asset readiness, including cyber, satellite, and other communications upgrades;
o $26.9 million for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, and Intelligence systems; and
o $25 million for critical shore infrastructure and fleet maintenance.
* $2.16 billion for Procurement, Construction, and Improvements, including:
o $555 million for procurement of a 2nd Polar Security Cutter;
o $260 million for four Fast Response Cutters;
o $546 million for the Offshore Patrol Cutter program;
o $120 million for one HC-130J aircraft; and
o $312.9 million for Shore Facilities and Aids to Navigation, including $166.2 million above the request for shore facilities and housing.

United States Secret Service -- The bill includes $2.4 billion for the United States Secret Service (USSS), an increase of $17 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $72.3 million above the request, including:
* $17.5 million for additional overtime pay and retention incentives;
* $14 million for operational mission support;
* $20 million for radio modernization;
* $29.1 million for basic and advanced computer forensics training for state and local law enforcement officers, judges, and prosecutors in support of the Secret Service mission; and
* $60 million to sustain FY19 levels for travel, permanent change of station, overtime, fleet vehicle modernization, retention initiatives, and personnel.

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) -- The bill includes $2.25 billion for CISA, an increase of $239.1 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $497 million above the request, including increases above the request of:
* $240.9 million to reverse proposed programmatic reductions and to sustain prior year investments;
* $32.6 million for cyber defense education and training;
* $51.54 million for cybersecurity mission system engineering;
* $6 million for Hunt and Incident Response Teams;
* $11.6 million to establish a Joint Cyber Center for National Cyber Defense;
* $19.4 million for the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center; and
* $10 million for vulnerability management infrastructure;
* $18 million for supply chain risk management; and
* $8.1 million for cyber technical assistance to state, local, tribal, and territorial governments; and
* $25.1 million for Next Generation Networks Priority Services.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) -- The bill includes $10.8 billion for FEMA, $11.7 billion below the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $1.24 billion above the request, as follows:
* $3.66 billion for grants and training, an increase of $473.9 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $1.18 billion above the request, including:
o $795 million for the Urban Areas Security Initiative, an increase of $130 million above fiscal year 2020, including $180 million for nonprofit security grants;
o $700 million for the State Homeland Security Grant Program, an increase of $140 million above fiscal year 2020, including $180 million for nonprofit security grants;
o $770 million for firefighter grants, an increase of $60 million above fiscal year 2020;
o $110 million for Port Security Grants, an increase of $10 million above fiscal year 2020;
o $110 million for Transit Security Grants, an increase of $10 million above fiscal year 2020;
o $385 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants, an increase of $30 million above fiscal year 2020;
o $75 million for Alternatives to Detention Case Management grants; and
o $150 million for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, an increase of $25 million above fiscal year 2020.
* $5.65 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund, $12.2 billion below fiscal year 2020 and equal to the request, including $5.1 billion for major disasters.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) -- The bill includes $183.9 million for USCIS, an increase of $51.6 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $65.3 million above the request, including:
* $8.8 million for the Office of Citizenship;
* $37 million for the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program; and
* $20 million for the Citizenship and Integration Grant program.

Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers (FLETC) -- The bill provides $343.9 million for FLETC, $7.2 million below the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $12.5 million above the request, including:
* $4.7 million to expand use of force training to state and local law enforcement personnel.

Science and Technology (S&T) -- The bill includes $755.3 million for S&T, an increase of $18 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $111.6 million above the request, including:
* $41.6 million for University Centers of Excellence, an increase of $4.5 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $23.3 million above the request; and
* $5.2 million for the Minority Serving Institutions (MSI) Program, an increase of $1.76 million above the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and the request;

Countering Weapons of Mass Destruction Office (CWMD) -- The bill includes $395.3 million for CWMD, $37 million below the fiscal year 2020 enacted level and $18.1 million over the request.

Policy Provisions --
* Prohibits construction of border barriers, except with funds appropriated for that purpose in prior years;
* Provides no authority to transfer funds among appropriations accounts, and eliminates most reprogramming authority;
* Prohibits ICE from removing individuals based on information provided by the Office of Refugee Resettlement related to a sponsor's application to accept custody of an unaccompanied child or based on an unaccompanied child's counseling sessions;
* Ensures access by Members of Congress to detention facilities;
* Prohibits DHS from obstructing migrant access to legal counsel, including access to prospective pro bono counsel;
* Requires know-your-rights presentations for anyone held in CBP custody for more than 72 hours;
* Requires goals and metrics reporting for pilot programs; and
* Prohibits the removal of individuals with pending U-visas and T-visas.

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