DHS Funding Bill in House Includes Boost in CBP Funding for Officers, ATS; Chastises CBP's User Fee Management
The Department of Homeland Security funding bill, approved by the House Appropriations Committee May 22, includes about $10.6 billion for CBP, an increase of $35 million above President Obama’s 2014 budget request that fully funds the administration's request for 1,600 new officers. The House bill allocates $38.9 billion in discretionary spending for DHS and has already garnered support from the National Treasury Employees Union (see 13052322).
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The bill fully funds no less than 21,755 CBP officers, and includes $105 million to phase in the 1,600 new officers; less than the amount requested in Obama’s budget. In an accompanying report on the bill -- which breaks down line-item spending recommendations for each DHS agency -- the Committee said an internal audit found systematic failures in how CBP crafts its salaries and benefits budget formulas. A rapid, hefty staffing boost could worsen this problem; plus, hiring and background checks take time, the report said. The $105 million -- instead of the $210 million Obama requested -- will “allow for a more methodical phase-in of the additional personnel requested,” the report said (here).
The bill also includes a boost in funding for the Automated Targeting System -- about $132 million is allocated, an increase of $11 million -- but slightly decreases funding for the Automated Commercial Environment/International Trade Data System. Those two programs are allocated about $140 million in the bill. The Committee’s report said CBP expects ACE and ITDS to achieve full functionality by 2016.
Some of the other provisions in the bill include:
- Nearly $42 million for the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism
- About $3.4 billion for border security inspections and trade facilitation, an increase of about $67 million over the 2014 budget request, largely going to higher funding for inspections and facilitation at ports of entry
- Statutory language requiring CBP to submit a multi-year investment and management plan for fiscal years 2014-2018 on information technology. “IT capability is essential to mission success; however, little visibility has been provided into how this investment is managed,” the Committee’s report said. “IT costs and requirements must be transparent in order for the Committee to adequately assess the results.”
- $6.3 million for Trusted Traveler Programs
- $3.27 million for the Harbor Maintenance Fee Collection trust fund
The bill also includes a special section on increasing transparency of user fee collections. In its report, the Committee said it “lacks confidence in CBP’s ability to forecast, collect and manage user fees, a failure which reflects poor management and a paucity of fiscal control.” The report directs CBP to submit biannual accounts of collections, anticipated carryover balances and all activities which utilize fees.