Legislative Activity House Appropriations Panel to Consider Homeland Security Measure This Tuesday, the House Appropriations Committee will meet to consider its draft FY 2016 bill funding homeland security programs. The Subcommittee on Homeland Security unanimously approved the measure, which provides $39.3 billion in discretionary funding, on Thursday, July 9. Though the subcommittee vote was unanimous, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity DHS FY 2016 Appropriations Continues Debate Over Immigration and U.S. Secret Service Challenges FY 2016 funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) could restart debate on Capitol Hill regarding the President’s executive actions on immigration, the very same fight that almost derailed FY 2015 funding for the agency earlier this year. While … 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 Congress Set to Extend FY 2014 DHS Budget in Continuing Resolution On September 9, House Appropriations Committee Chairman Hal Rogers (R-KY) introduced a draft continuing resolution (CR, H.J. Res. 124) to fund the federal government at the FY 2014 spending levels through December 11, 2014. Chairman Rogers announced, “Virtually all existing policy and … Continue Reading
Legistlative Activity Reid Files Motion to Proceed on Terrorism Risk Insurance Bill On July 9, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) filed a motion to proceed to the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (S. 2244). This bill, introduced by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), would extend the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) to December 31, … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Senate to Mark Up FY 2015 DHS Appropriations The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security has announced that it will mark up the FY 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations bill on Tuesday, June 24. The Senate 302(b) spending allocation for homeland security is $45.9 billion, which is $6.7 billion more than the House’s homeland … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity House Passes Coast Guard Reauthorization On April 1, the House of Representatives passed by voice vote the Howard Coble Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2014 (H.R. 4005), which was introduced by House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Chairman Duncan Hunter (R-CA). This bill would authorize $17.5 … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity DHS Names Acting ICE Leader Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson has announced that Deputy Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Commissioner Thomas Winkowski – who most recently served as acting director of CBP – will become the acting principal deputy assistant director of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), where he will … 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 DHS Secretary Johnson Sets Agency Priorities On February 26, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson appeared before the House Homeland Security Committee to discuss DHS operations and his priorities for the agency. In response to concerns from privacy-minded lawmakers, he stated that he might scale back loans of Customs and Border … Continue Reading
Legislative Activity Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Authorization Bill The House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Infrastructure Protection and Security Technologies will hold a hearing to discuss the Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards Authorization and Accountability Act of 2014 (H.R. 4007) on Thursday, February 26. This bill, introduced by Subcommittee Chairman Patrick Meehan (R-PA), would provide a … 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 HSGAC to Vote on Jeh Johnson Nomination On Wednesday, November 20, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee will vote on the nomination of Jeh Johnson to be the next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Both Chairman Tom Carper (D-DE) and Ranking Member Tom Coburn (R-OK) support his nomination, … 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
LEGISLATIVE ACTIVITY DHS 10-year Anniversary As the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) hits the 10-year mark, the House and Senate are reviewing the progress and remaining challenges facing the Department since its inception. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee members from both sides of the aisle have acknowledged that Congress needs to reduce … Continue Reading
