NCIS

July 16, 2010

J.R. Reskovac

Sarah Strup

Appropriations-Budget

Senate appropriators agreed Thursday to cut $14 billion from President Obama’s FY11 budget request, approximately double the cut offered by House Democrats, but still left Republicans unsatisfied.

The Appropriations Committee voted 17-12 to put a $1.114 trillion cap on FY11 regular discretionary spending, with the Pentagon taking two budget hits at the markup to bring the figure down.  That did not prevent GOP appropriators from refusing to support the 12 annual appropriations bills unless the cap was at most $1.108 trillion.  Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-HI) began the markup by proposing only an $8 billion reduction from Obama’s request.  He later offered to split the difference with the Republicans and lower the spending cap by an additional $6 billion, with the entire amount taken from Defense programs.

June 25, 2010

J.R. Reskovac

Sarah Strup

Appropriations-  Homeland Security

The House on Thursday kicked off the FY11 appropriations process by unveiling the Homeland Security spending bill, which received subcommittee approval.

The Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee approved, by voice vote, a draft measure that would provide $43.9 billion in discretionary spending for the Department of Homeland Security.  The measure is the first of the 12 annual spending bills to be considered by appropriators.  The bill’s discretionary total is $1.1 billion more than in FY10 and $300 million more than President Obama’s FY11 request.

Amid the controversial debate over immigration, The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) would get a six percent increase in funding, the largest for any agency within the Homeland Security Department, which among other things would provide for the acquisition of more than 500 advanced imaging passenger screening machines and the employment of 5,355 new screeners to operate the equipment.  The Coast Guard also would see a funding increase, with appropriators rejecting presidential proposals to cut Coast Guard personnel, decommission two vessels and retire five helicopters.  Coast Guard oil rig inspection and spill response activities would also receive more than the administration initially requested.