Subject:  Highlights of President’s 2008 Budget Request for Department of Homeland Security

Date:  February 5, 2007, 11: 40 am 

Today, the President's Budget request for FY 2008 was released. The information below is based on the budget documents released this morning by the Office of Management and Budget, particularly the Budget Appendix.  The documents have now been posted on the White House / OMB site and I have listed the site at the end of this document for those who want more information.

Also, more detail may be contained in the press releases later today.
 
First of all --Emergency Management Performance Grants (EMPG)

• $200,000,000 million (FY 07 was $200, 000,000).
• Was not retained as a separate account, but was included in State and Local Programs account.
• There was no language to prohibit use for personnel.
• Is in FEMA

You will notice large reductions in the funds for the State Homeland Security grants and in the Firefighter grants.

There was no language this year to try to lower percentages for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

Other highlights follow:

FEDERAL EMERGENCY, MANAGEMENT AGENCY

State and Local Programs   $1,896,000,000 (FY 07 $2,531,000,000)

• $215,000,000 for formula based grants
• $200,000,000 for Emergency Management Performance Grants
• $15,000,000 for Citizen Corps (FY 07 $15,000,000)
• $1.506.000,000 for discretionary grants, as determined by the Secretary
• $250,000,000 to states and territories (State Homeland Security Grants) to be allocated by the Secretary based on risk and unmet target capabilities of which $62,500,000 is for law enforcement terrorism prevention. This would result in $187,500,000 for State Homeland Security Grants. Lowers the minimum per state to .25%. Last year was .75%.  (FY 07 was $525,000,000 and $375,000,000 for law enforcement)
• $800,000,000 for Urban Area Security Initiative of which $200,000,000 is for law enforcement terrorism prevention.  Funds to be allocated by the Secretary based on risk and unmet target capabilities. (FY 07 was $770,000,000 for UASI)
• $210,000,000 for port security infrastructure grants (same in FY 07)
• $9,000,000 for trucking infrastructure grants (FY 07 was $12,000,000)
• $12,000,000 intercity bus security infrastructure grants (same as FY 07)
• $175,000,000 intercity rail passenger transportation infrastructure grants (same as FY 07)
• $50,000,000 buffer zone protection infrastructure grants (same as FY 07)
• $175,000,000 for training, exercises, technical assistance and other programs (FY 07 was $352,000,000). I need more information on this seemingly large reduction.
•  $50 million for National Exercise Program; $95 million for Center for Domestic Preparedness and other members of the national Domestic Preparedness Consortium)

Firefighter Assistance Grants    $300,000,000.  (FY 07 was $662,000,000 which included $547,000,000 plus $115,000,000 for Safer)

National Predisaster Mitigation Fund $100, 053,000 (FY 07 was $100,000,000)

Flood Map Modernization   $194,881,000 (FY 07 was $198,980,000)

National Flood Insurance Fund   $90,000,000 for flood mitigation actions for severe repetitive loss properties under Sec. 1361A (FY 07 was $50,000,000).  Raises allowed administrative cost to 4% instead of 3%.

National Flood Mitigation Fund    $34,000,000 for flood mitigation expenses under section 1366. (FY 07 was $31,000,000). Funds are derived from the NFIF.

United States Fire Administration and Training    $43,300,000   (FY 07 was $46,849,000)

Operations, Planning and Support   (The former FEMA account of Readiness, Mitigation, Response, and Recovery and account for Administrative and Regional Operations are now included in this new account.)

$667,600,000 (of this amount $25,000,000 is for Urban Search and Rescue)

Disaster Relief   $1,700,000,000;   $48,000,000 and 250 positions may be transferred to FEMA Operations, Planning and Support.

Emergency Food and Shelter   $140,000,000 (FY 07 $151, 470,000)  

NATIONAL PROTECTION AND PROGRAMS DIRECTORATE

Management and Administration $46,290,000

US Visit $462,000,000 (FY 07 was $362,944,000)

Infrastructure Protection and Information Security $538,277,000 (FY 07 was $371,787,000)

Office of Health Affairs $118,000,000

Internet Site for the OMB budget documents follows:

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2008

Office of Management and Budget --budget documents.  The one to look at is the Appendix.  DHS starts on page 443 of this over 1200 page document. FEMA starts on page 480 and the national Protection and Programs Directorate on page 476. 
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