The bill would provide $29.4 billion for ‘first responders,’ baggage screening and other programs. It is $1 billion more than Bush sought. The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved the first bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, providing almost $30 billion for programs as diverse as bioterrorism research and baggage screening. House Republicans, whom the White House had accused in March of underfunding homeland security, took President Bush’s budget request and raised it by more than $1 billion for additional transportation security measures and funding for “first responders,” including police officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel. But Democrats contended that because of the administration’s tax cuts — and resultant budget-tightening — the funding still would not go far enough to ensure adequate protection of U.S. borders and citizens, although almost all of them voted for the bill anyway. Full Story
About OODA Analyst
OODA is comprised of a unique team of international experts capable of providing advanced intelligence and analysis, strategy and planning support, risk and threat management, training, decision support, crisis response, and security services to global corporations and governments.