House DHS Budget Would Give More Money for Port Protection

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he House passed a $31.9 billion budget Tuesday for the Department Homeland Security that would increase funds to be spent on detecting radioactive material at ports, the New York Times reported.

HS would receive more money for equipment that could detect radioactive materials being smuggled by terrorists and to examine cargo in foreign ports before it leaves for the United States, expanding the program to about 50 ports worldwide, the paper reported.

The budget for DHS’s Customs and Border Protection agency would climb to $6.9 billion, up about 9%, while the budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement would rise 20% to more than $4 billion, the Times said, citing the House Appropriations Committee.

The bill does not include an administration proposal to raise aviation security fees by $3 per passenger, which would raise $1.7 billion in new fees, the paper reported, but would give more money to the Transportation Security Administration.

The House cut the Bush administration's request for some programs, including one that would for new Coast Guard ships and planes, the Times said.

HS’s fiscal 2006 budget, which starts Oct. 1, still needs Senate approval, and the administration has objected to a number of the bill's provisions, so it will probably change again before becoming law, the paper reported.