SUMMARY OF MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE BILL

The Committee recommends a total of $29,410,982,000 in discretionary resources for the Department of Homeland Security, an increase of $1,038,688,000 above the President's request, and $666,749,000 above fiscal year 2003 enacted levels. The Committee recommends a total of $4,446,000,000 for First Responders, including: $1,900,000,000 for the Office for Domestic Preparedness basic grant program; $500,000,000 for State and Local Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention grants; $500,000,000 for grants to high-threat, high-density, urban areas; and $200,000,000 for critical infrastructure grants. The Committee also includes $750,000,000 for Firefighter Assistance Grants through the Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate, as well as a total of $168,000,000 for Emergency Management Performance Grants.

The Committee recommends advance appropriations of $5,593,000,000 for biodefense countermeasures, with a limitation of $890,000,000 for fiscal year 2004 obligations. The Committee believes that by providing these funds in an advance appropriation, a market place is created for those manufacturers who would otherwise not undertake the lengthy and expensive process to produce needed countermeasures as identified by the Secretary.

The Committee provides a total of $5,172,000,000 for the Transportation Security Administration, continuing efforts to enhance both aviation and non-aviation security, including: $100,000,000 for port security grants, $335,000,000 for the procurement and installation of explosive detection systems; $50,000,000 for air cargo security, including $30,000,000 for state-of-the-art detection technologies; and $10,000,000 for intercity bus security.

For the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, the Committee provides a total of $5,081,327,000, including $493,727,000 for Automation Modernization, and $129,000,000 for continuing efforts to develop and deploy inspection technologies.

For the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Committee recommends $2,996,816,000, including $350,000,000 for US VISIT, and $175,000,000 for the Air and Marine Interdiction Program.

The Committee recommends a total of $6,681,081,000 for the U.S. Coast Guard, including $1,300,000,000 for national security related activities, and $530,000,000 for the Integrated Deepwater Systems program. In addition, the Committee recommends $134,000,000 for Rescue 21.

The Committee includes a total of $776,000,000 for Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, and $900,360,000 for Science and Technology. Included in the amounts for Science and Technology are $80,000,000 for the Rapid Prototyping Program; $35,000,000 for University and Fellowship Programs, including university-based centers of excellence; and $60,000,000 for the research, development, testing and evaluation of an antimissile device for commercial aircraft.

TRANSFER AND REPROGRAMMING GUIDELINES

The Committee includes a general provision (Section 503) specifying conditions for the transfer and reprogramming of funds made available to the Department of Homeland Security. The Committee has also included a table at the end of this Report detailing the specific levels of funding which will be used to determine both transfer and reprogramming thresholds.

TITLE I--DEPARTMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND OPERATIONS

DEPARTMENTAL ADMINISTRATION

SALARIES AND EXPENSES

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Appropriation, fiscal year 2003     $195,370,000 

Budget estimate, fiscal year 2004    294,000,000 

Recommended in the bill              221,493,000 

Bill compared with:                              

  Appropriation, fiscal year 2003    +26,123,000 

  Budget estimate, fiscal year 2004  -72,507,000 

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MISSION

The Homeland Security Act of 2002 created the new Department of Homeland Security through the merger of 22 federal agencies into this new organization. The mission of Departmental Administration is to provide efficient services to the Department of Homeland Security and to support the Department in its achievement of strategic goals: preventing terrorist attacks within the United States; reducing America's vulnerabilities to terrorism; and minimizing the damage and recovery from attacks that may occur.

Departmental Administration will focus on department-wide efforts, such as national policy development and planning as well as be responsible for such functions as strategy, interagency coordination, public affairs, legislative affairs, information technology, legal affairs, and financial matters. The Departmental Administration appropriation also includes funding for the immediate offices of the Under Secretaries and associated staff in the four operating directorates (Border and Transportation Security, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Information Analysis and Infrastructure Protection, and Science and Technology), as well as other headquarters activities.