Speech #1090102415

So you think we would stop there. But. no. we go further. planning how to spend the next $4 billion on the chance that the spectrum fund generates still more money. The conference report directs that distributions over $12 billion be earmarked as: $900 million for conservation programs through the Department of Agriculture. $50 million to carry out the North American Wetlands Conservation Act. $50 million to protect grassland and wetland habitats. $1 billion for Interoperable Communications Equipment to assist State and local government preparation for a natural disaster or terrorist attack. $1 billion to assist State and local government preparation for a natural disaster or terrorist attack. $80 million to the Department of Homeland Security to replace and upgrade law enforcement communications. $30 million to replace Border Patrol vehicles. $490 million for Air and Marine Interdiction. Operations. Maintenance and Procurement to replace air assets. including $40 million for helicopter replacement. $372 million for Air and Marine Interdiction. Operations. Maintenance and Procurement to construct and renovate air facilities. $30 million for Tucson. AZ Border Patrol sector for tactical infrastructure. $20 million for San Diego. CA Border Patrol sector for the sector conference. $30 million for Immigration and Customs Enforcement to replace detention and removal vehicles. and $17.9 million for Federal Law Enforcement Training Center for construction of a language training facility. While the border security projects I have just mentioned are important. will they come to fruition? Not until the spectrum revenues exceed the CBOs estimatefirst by $2 billion. and then by $4 billion on top of that. So only when the fund hits $16 billion would all these funds actually be distributed.