Contingency Planning

President’s Budget Proposal Expands National Security Programs

March 10, 2008

President Bush’s proposed $22.7 billion fiscal year 2009 budget for the Department of Justice, a 6-percent increase over the current year’s budget, includes $492.7 million to improve DOJ’s counterterrorism and intelligence capabilities.

“The fiscal year 2009 budget supports our mission and includes targeted enhancements to ensure the nation’s security and to bolster our law enforcement efforts along the Southwest border,” said Attorney General Michael Mukasey.

Relevant DOJ budget program increases include:

• Protecting Americans by preventing terrorist acts: $492.7 million
• Fighting criminal activity on the U.S. Southwest border: $100 million
• Supporting federal detention and incarceration programs: $67.1 million.
• State and local law enforcement assistance: more than $1 billion.

Under the $492.7 million anti-terrorism proposal, funding would go toward improving counterterrorism investigative capabilities to identify, track and dismantle terrorist cells operating in the United States and overseas and to fortify the nation’s intelligence analysis capabilities.

The FBI’s $7.1 billion budget proposal includes $447.4 million to support intelligence and counterterrorism programs, improve surveillance capabilities, bolster weapons of mass destruction response and protect the nation’s cyber systems. This budget also provides $84 million for the National Security Division to strengthen its support of anti-terrorism intelligence.

One component of the FBI budget allocates $43.9 million for an integrated wireless network -- $19 million to replace outdated legacy equipment with narrowband compliant technology for the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service and ATF, and $24.9 million to implement the network in the Washington, D.C., area.

To bolster border security, the president proposes $100 million to create the Southwest Border Enforcement Initiative to combat crime, gun smuggling, drug trafficking and illegal immigration. Specific funding components include: $948,000 to enhance ATF’s ability to inspect and investigate the firearms industry and to implement a focused inspection program; $289,000 to combat border gang violence; $7 million to establish two more teams to assist DEA’s host nation counterparts in Central America, South America and the Caribbean; and $2.6 million in funding and 16 new positions to bolster Southwest Border staffing.

Congress has until Oct. 1, the beginning of the 2009 fiscal year, to approve or amend the president’s budget and could possibly hold off on its vote, pending the November presidential election.