DHS Funding Up Eight Percent for 2008

President Bush's fiscal year 2008 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) represents $46.4 billion in funding, which is an increase of 8 percent over the FY 2007 level -- excluding funds provided in emergency supplemental funding. The request targets five areas that are essential to preserving freedom and privacy, meeting future challenges, and fulfilling our mission of securing America.

Protecting our nation from dangerous people continues by strengthening border security; developing fraud resistant identification and biometric tools; creating an interoperable architecture for the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) program, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), and Real ID requirements; and achieving full database interoperability between DHS, the FBI, and the Department of State.

• Total funding of $1 billion will support the SBInet program deployment and create an integrated infrastructure and technology solution for effective control of the border that includes fencing and virtual barriers to prevent illegal entry into the United States.
  
• Total funding of $778 million will provide for 3,000 additional Border Patrol agents as well as facilities to house the agents, support personnel, and equipment necessary to gain operational control of our borders. This will keep us on track to achieve the President's goal of doubling the Border Patrol by the time he leaves office.
  
• Total funding of $252 million is requested for implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) at land ports of entry. The requested resources will advance the WHTI goal of ensuring that all people arriving at U.S. ports of entry have a valid and appropriate means of identification and can be processed in an efficient manner.
• An increase of $146.2 million for the Unique Identity initiative will establish the foundational capabilities to improve identity establishment and verification with the transition to 10-Print and Automated Biometric Identification System (IDENT) and Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) interoperability. The funding will provide the capability to biometrically screen foreign visitors requesting entry to the United States through the collection of 10-print capture, rather than the current two, at enrollment. US-VISIT, along with the departments of State and Justice, will be able to continue efforts to develop interoperability between DHS' IDENT and Justice's IAFIS systems.
  
• An increase of $224.2 million in funding will support the Transportation Security Administration's screening operations. This includes the Transportation Security Officers (TSO), Document Checkers, Career Progression Program, and procurement and installation of checkpoint support and explosives detection systems. TSA has evolved its TSO workforce to be highly responsive and effective in addressing the variety of potential threats, such as those presented in August 2006 by liquids, aerosols and gels. In FY 2007 and FY 2008, TSA plans to add an important layer of defense for aviation security by assuming responsibility for document checking.
  
• An increase of $38 million in funding will support development and initial operating capability for the Secure Flight system. This includes funding for hardware procurement, operations ramp-up and training, and network interface engineering between the Secure Flight and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Advanced Passenger Information System (APIS) network. Secure Flight will strengthen watch list screening and vet all domestic air travelers.
  
• An increase of $28.7 million for the ICE Criminal Alien Program (CAP) will ensure the safety of the American public through the addition of twenty two CAP teams. These teams will continue the mission of identifying and removing incarcerated criminal aliens so they are not released back into the general population.
  
• An increase of $16.5 million in funding will support the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) which will establish an integrated, credential-based, identity verification program through the use of biometric technology. In order to gain unescorted access to the secure areas within the nation's transportation system, transportation workers who need access to these areas will go through identity verification, a satisfactory background check and be issued a biometrically verifiable identity card to be used with local access systems. The