Legislative Activity House Appropriations Panel Approves Homeland Security Spending Bill, Scrutinizes “Sanctuary City” Policies This week, the House Appropriations Committee approved its FY 2016 spending bill funding homeland security programs. The measure provides $39.3 billion in discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), $337 million below the amount enacted for FY 2015 … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Gyrocopter Lands on Capitol Lawn, Sparks Security Concerns On Wednesday afternoon, Doug Hughes, a Florida postal worker, flew a small gyrocopter through protected Washington airspace and landed on the west lawn of the Capitol. Hughes reportedly planned to deliver letters on campaign finance reform addressed to each of the 535 Members of Congress. … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity OMB Releases DHS FY 2015 Budget Request On March 5, the Office of Management and Budget released President Barack Obama’s FY 2015 Budget Request, which recommends $38.2 billion in funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), approximately $1 billion less overall than the level of funding appropriated to the agency under … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Homeland Security Nominations The Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee held a nomination hearing for President Barack Obama’s nominee to become the next Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), John Roth. Both Majority and Minority Members of the committee expressed support for Roth’s nomination and along with continued … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senator Threatens to Hold Jeh Johnson Nomination President Barack Obama has nominated former Department of Defense Chief Counsel Jeh Johnson to serve as the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). However, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) has announced that he plans to block all new nominees until the State Department gives … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Federal Emergency Management Agency Reauthorization On Tuesday, October 22, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-PA) introduced the first ever Federal Emergency Management Reauthorization Act (H.R. 3300). The bipartisan bill is co-sponsored by full committee Ranking Member Nick Rahall (D-WV), Emergency Management Subcommittee Chairman Lou Barletta (R-PA), and subcommittee Ranking Member … Continue Reading
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY WRDA Reauthorization Floor consideration of H.R. 3080, the Water Resources Reform and Development Act of 2013 (WRRDA), is expected in early October but pressing action on the continuing resolution and the debt ceiling may cause some delay. This Week’s Hearings: Tuesday, October 1: The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Panel on 21st Century … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity U.S. Department of Homeland Security Nomination Hearings Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Thomas Carper (D-DE) and Ranking Member Tom Coburn (R-OK) continue to criticize the outstanding number of open leadership slots at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Last week, the committee held a hearing to consider nominees to … Continue Reading
