President Bush has
signed the first ever homeland security appropriations bill at the
Department of Homeland Security, "continuing his commitment to
protect the American people." Overall, the Department’s FY
2004 budget authority totals $37.6 billion: $30.4 billion provided
by the Congress plus an additional $7.2 billion in fees.
This budget includes some intriguing Aviation Security
expenditures...
Of nearly $4.6 billion in Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) funding, specific programs include:
$150 million to purchase explosives detection systems.
$250 million to install these systems in airports.
Another $85 million is allocated to improve air cargo
security, including:
$30 million to enable TSA to improve its oversight of the known
shipper program, using a risk-weighted freight screening system
that will identify pieces of cargo that require closer scrutiny
before being loaded on passenger aircraft. Funds will also enable
TSA to hire an additional 100 staff to perform more in-depth audits
of shipper compliance with the known shipper requirement.
$55 million to be used by TSA’s Research and Development
to pursue a variety of technological solutions that would allow for
the most efficient and targeted inspections of cargo carried on
passenger aircraft.
Other Interesting Expenditures:
$35.2 million for an air surveillance wing on the Northern
Border, of which $12.8 million is for the purchase of
aircraft.
$668 million is allocated to the Integrated Deepwater System
Project, the Coast Guard’s multi-year recapitalization that
will replace or modernize the Coast Guard’s large ships,
aircraft, sensors, command and control systems, and logistics
system. Deepwater funding in FY-04 including $143
million for aircraft, which will include the purchase of a CASA 235
maritime patrol aircraft; $303 million to be used in part
for construction of the first 420-foot National Security Cutter;
$101 million for use in part for continued development of a
network-centric command and control system that will provide a
common operating picture; $24.7 million for a common logistics
information system; and continued development of the vertical
unmanned aerial vehicle that will deploy from IDS cutters.
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