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Staff Contact: Brad Watson (x69719) June 12, 2007

**Appropriations Policy Brief**

**H.R. 2638 --- Homeland Security Appropriations Act for FY 2008**

[**Earmarks:**]{.underline}

Chairman Obey has stated that the Appropriations Committee will not
include earmarks until conference.

In the FY 2007 DHS Appropriations Conference Report, earmarks were
included for:

  ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------
  Burlington Northern Railroad Bridge in Burlington, Iowa      \$1,000,000

  Canadian Pacific Railway Bridge in LaCrosse, Wisconsin       2,000,000

  Chelsea Street Bridge in Chelsea, Massachusetts              3,000,000

  Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern Railway Company Bridge in Morris, 1,000,000
  Illinois                                                     

  Fourteen Mile Bridge in Mobile, Alabama                      7,000,000

  Galveston Causeway Bridge in Galveston, Texas                2,000,000

  **Total**                                                    16,000,000
  ------------------------------------------------------------ -------------

All of the above were included under the **alteration of bridges**
account and **ALL** of the \$16 million for this account consisted of
earmarks.

As noted below, although the bill contains no earmarks (any earmarks
will be included in conference), the alteration of bridges account is a
likely placeholder for potential earmarks and it is funded at the same
level as FY 2007 in this legislation---\$16 million.

**[Items of Note]{.underline}:**

**Office of the Under Secretary for Management:** \$89 million or 60
percent increase compared to FY 2007 (from \$149 million in FY 2007 to
\$238 million in this legislation).

**Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology:** \$1
billion, same as President's request, \$188 million below FY 2007.

Prohibits funds from being used to build the fence on certain federal
lands without coordination with the affected agency and unless the
Secretary "makes every effort to minimize impacts on wildlife and
natural resources."

Also, prohibits funds from being used to build the fence unless the
Secretary "formally consults with affected State and local communities
to solicit their advice and support of such project or activity."

**U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement:** Requires the secretary, at
least once every month, to obtain information from every prison in the
U.S. on incarcerated aliens who may be deportable and to make every
reasonable effort to depot those aliens upon their release from custody.

**Alteration of Bridges:** \$16 million, same as FY 2007. This is a
potential placeholder for earmarks included in conference (see
Earmarks).

**Firefighter Assistance Grants:** \$800 million---\$500 million more
than the President's request and \$138 million above FY 2007.

**Outsourcing/A-76 Activities**: Prohibits funds from being used under
OMB Circular A-76 (governing the federal government's outsourcing
policies) "to process or approve a competition" with regard to employees
of the Citizenship and Immigration Services. In other words, this
provision would prohibit employees of the Citizenship and Immigration
Services from having to compete with private-sector entities for certain
functions of the bureau.

**Port Security:** \$400 million---\$190 million above both the
President's request and the FY 2007 level.

**Rail and Transit Security:** \$400 million---\$225 million above both
the President's request and the FY 2007 level.

**Buy America:** Requires none of the funds be used in violation of the
Buy America Act.

**TSA Screening Cap:** The bill does not maintain the cap on TSA
screeners, which is currently set at 45,000.

**Davis-Bacon:** The bill would prohibit funds appropriated in this Act
from being used for a grant or contract for any project that does not
comply with Davis-Bacon prevailing wage requirements (subject to
presidential waiver authority during a national emergency).

Davis-Bacon Act **[requires]{.underline}** that each federal government
contract worth over \$2,000 for the construction, alteration, or repair
of public buildings or public works (including airports and public
housing) set the minimum wages to be paid to laborers and mechanics
employed under the contract at no less than the locally prevailing wages
paid on projects of a similar character (as determined by the Secretary
of Labor). Included in "wages" are the [basic rates of hourly
pay]{.underline} and [all fringe benefits]{.underline} (when not
otherwise required by other federal, state, or local law), such as
pensions, health care benefits, compensation for occupational injury,
unemployment insurance, life insurance, disability or sickness
insurance, accident insurance, vacation pay, and defrayments of
apprenticeship costs. Such prevailing wages are often based on
union-negotiated contracts in a locality.

To read an RSC backgrounder on the problems with Davis-Bacon, visit this
webpage:
[[http://www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc/doc/Davis-Bacon_Talking_Points_030507.pdf]{.underline}](http://www.house.gov/hensarling/rsc/doc/Davis-Bacon_Talking_Points_030507.pdf).

**[Funding Summaries]{.underline}:**

[]{.mark}

*In Thousands*

  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------- -----------
                                                                                      **FY07      **FY08      **FY08      **Cmte vs.  **Cmte vs   **% vs.   **% vs.
                                                                                      Enacted**   Request**   Cmte**      FY07**      Request**   FY07**    Request**

  Departmental Operations...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....        1,011,871   1,096,981   1,025,046   13,175      -71,935     1.30%     -6.56%

  Office of the Fed. Coord. For Gulf Coast Rebuilding                                 3,000       3,000       3,000       0           0           0.00%     0.00% 

  Inspector                                                                           85,185      99,111      99,111      13,926      0           16.35%    0.00%
  General...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                                                                              

  Immigration and Customs Enforcement...\...\...\...\...\....                         3,964,281   4,168,000   4,183,000   218,719     15,000      5.52%     0.36%

  Aviation                                                                            2,311,814   2,242,934   2,488,310   176,496     245,376     7.63%     10.94%
  Security...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                                                                             

  Transportation Security Administration...\...\...\...\...\....                      3,628,291   3,608,352   3,827,828   199,537     219,476     5.50%     6.08%

  U.S. Coast                                                                          7,233,238   7,272,232   7,172,137   -61,101     -100,095    -0.84%    -1.38%
  Guard...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                                                                             

  U.S. Secret                                                                         1,279,158   1,398,996   1,395,896   116,738     -3,100      9.13%     -0.22%
  Service...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....                                                                               

  Firefighter Assistance Grants...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...        662,000     300,000     800,000     138,000     500,000     20.85%    166.67%

  U.S. Fire Administration..................\...\...\...\...\...\....                 41,349      43,300      43,300      1,951       0           4.72%     0%

  Total,                                                                              6,981,075   6,206,704   8,285,830   1,304,755   2,079,126   18.69%    33.50%
  Preparedness...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                                                                             

  Total,                                                                              5,947,476   5,042,204   7,132,670   1,185,194   2,090,468   19.93%    41.46%
  FEMA...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                                                                         

  Citizenship and Immigration Services...\...\...\...\...\...\.....                   181,990     30,000      30,000      -151,990    0           -83.52%   0.00%

  Science and Technology...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\...\....      761,794     799,100     777,112     15,318      -21,988     2.01%     -2.75%
  ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- --------- -----------

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