Airport Alert: House Subcommittee Approves FY 2022 DHS/TSA/CBP Funding Bill
June 30, 2021
The House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee approved a FY 2022 funding bill, totaling $52.81 billion in discretionary appropriations, for DHS and its component agencies, including TSA and CBP, in a short business meeting this morning. This funding level is $387.3 million above the President's budget request and $934 million above the current year. According to DHS Subcommittee Chair Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), the increase above FY 2021 is necessary "just to maintain current activities throughout the Department."
Ranking Member Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) noted in his opening statement that he is in complete agreement and supportive of most of the funding recommendations contained in this bill. However, he indicated that he could not support the bill overall because of its treatment of immigration issues.
The House DHS funding bill proposes a total of $8.6 billion for TSA, matching the budget request. With no additional details provided beyond bill text at this point in the process, it is unclear if the Subcommittee fully funded the budget requests for key airport priorities like the law enforcement officer reimbursement program, TSA staffing of exit lanes, and security detection technologies. However, given the fact that the measure matches the budget request, we are optimistic that these needs are fully addressed. More details will be released before the Full Committee considers the bill in July.
For CBP, the measure provides a total of $14.11 billion in net discretionary appropriations, which is $456 million (or 3 percent) below the budget request. The bill does not include funding to hire additional CBP officers or to offset CBP's user fee revenue shortfalls as a result of a significant decline in international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill retains the overtime cap at $45,000 for CBP officers and continues to permit the Secretary to waive this cap on an individual basis in the case of immigration emergencies.
For more information, attached is the bill text, Chair Roybal-Allard's opening statement, and press release.
What's Next?
The House Appropriations Committee is expected to consider this measure on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at noon. The Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to schedule consideration of its FY 2022 DHS/TSA/CBP spending bill.
The House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee approved a FY 2022 funding bill, totaling $52.81 billion in discretionary appropriations, for DHS and its component agencies, including TSA and CBP, in a short business meeting this morning. This funding level is $387.3 million above the President's budget request and $934 million above the current year. According to DHS Subcommittee Chair Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), the increase above FY 2021 is necessary "just to maintain current activities throughout the Department."
Ranking Member Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) noted in his opening statement that he is in complete agreement and supportive of most of the funding recommendations contained in this bill. However, he indicated that he could not support the bill overall because of its treatment of immigration issues.
The House DHS funding bill proposes a total of $8.6 billion for TSA, matching the budget request. With no additional details provided beyond bill text at this point in the process, it is unclear if the Subcommittee fully funded the budget requests for key airport priorities like the law enforcement officer reimbursement program, TSA staffing of exit lanes, and security detection technologies. However, given the fact that the measure matches the budget request, we are optimistic that these needs are fully addressed. More details will be released before the Full Committee considers the bill in July.
For CBP, the measure provides a total of $14.11 billion in net discretionary appropriations, which is $456 million (or 3 percent) below the budget request. The bill does not include funding to hire additional CBP officers or to offset CBP's user fee revenue shortfalls as a result of a significant decline in international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill retains the overtime cap at $45,000 for CBP officers and continues to permit the Secretary to waive this cap on an individual basis in the case of immigration emergencies.
For more information, attached is the bill text, Chair Roybal-Allard's opening statement, and press release.
What's Next?
The House Appropriations Committee is expected to consider this measure on Tuesday, July 13, 2021, at noon. The Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to schedule consideration of its FY 2022 DHS/TSA/CBP spending bill.
