WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Senate Appropriations Committee today released legislation by U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, to fund the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. The legislation provides $69.8 billion to support investments in border security, disaster recovery and prevention, cybersecurity, aviation security, state and local grants, critical programs to improve national security and keep Americans safe, and efforts to combat the opioid epidemic.

“The bill released today is a fiscally responsible way to invest and support the broad aspects of the mission of the Department of Homeland Security enabling them to fulfill their mission,” Chairman Capito said. “I will continue to work with my Senate colleagues and House counterparts to complete the FY2021 appropriations process. In the meantime, the men and women of the department, who have worked tirelessly through a challenging period in our history, deserve our support for their commitment and dedication to our nation.”

Chairman Capito included several items in the legislation important to West Virginia, including continued funding for Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) partnership with Marshall University on opioid prevention and dark web monitoring; an increase in funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Dam Safety Grant Program that Chairman Capito previously authorized; funding for IT enhancements at Coast Guard facilities in the Eastern Panhandle; funding for facility expansion and improvements for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the Advanced Training Center and Summit Point facilities in West Virginia; and necessary funds to support FEMA grant programs that are of critical importance to local first responders, such as volunteer fire departments.

BILL HIGHLIGHTS:

Customs and Border Protection (CBP): $15.48 billion is recommended for CBP including $1.96 billion, as requested, for 82 miles of border wall system. This level maintains support for border surveillance technology, as well as construction and facility improvements, and continues to prioritize the use of innovative technologies and capabilities to strengthen border security and facilitate legitimate travel and trade.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): $8.8 billion is recommended for ICE including continued support for immigration enforcement activities consistent with FY20 enacted levels. The bill also sustains HSI investments for combatting the opioid epidemic and cyber security investigations on the dark web.

Transportation Security Administration (TSA): $8.06 billion in gross discretionary funding is recommended for TSA. The bill supports operations and recommends targeted increases to adequately staff checkpoints and deploy necessary technologies to ensure aviation security is prioritized at all airports, including small and rural airports.

U.S. Coast Guard (USCG): $12.5 billion is recommended to support the Coast Guard’s domestic and overseas missions. The recommendation supports ongoing acquisitions for vessel and aircraft recapitalization. In addition, the bill recommends necessary funds for significant shore infrastructure, cybersecurity, and IT enhancements.

Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA): $2 billion is recommended for CISA and includes $1.2 billion in cybersecurity, $140 million above the budget request amount, for the protection of civilian federal networks.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): $22.1 billion is recommended for FEMA including $17.7 billion to support the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF). The recommendation provides $3.1 billion in grants, sustaining support for state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) governments, including $560 million for State Homeland Security Grants; $1.1 billion for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER), Assistance to Firefighters (AFG), and Emergency Management Performance (EMPG) grants; and increases for dam safety and regional grants.

Bill text is available here and bill highlights are available here. 

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