Speech #1140002331

Chairman. this agreement is very good. and I am proud of it. It supports DHS frontline personnel and its essential security operations and maintains fiscal discipline. Specifically. for Customs and Border Protection: this agreement adds $42 million above the request to assure the 24/7 surveillance of all land. sea. and air approaches. it increases air and marine flight hours from 74.000 to 95.000 per year. this agreement fully funds 23.775 CBP officers to continue efforts to reduce the wait times of passengers arriving at the Nations international airports without resorting to burdensome user fees as proposed by the President. funds are included for 21.370 Border Patrol agents. the highest operational force in DHS history. funds for tactical communications equipment and border security technology are increased by $20 million above the request. substantial increases are included for targeting systems and data analysis to support counterterrorism efforts. For Immigration and Customs Enforcement: custody and deportation operations are increased by $862 million above the request to ensure the full funding of 34.000 legislativelymandated detention beds and to detain. deport. and deter the influx of families and children illegally crossing the southwest border. Included in this amount are 3.732 new family detention units to deter the illegal migration of families. Also included are 207 new enforcement officers to expedite the process of returning illegal immigrants to their countries of origin. ICEs investigative capability is increased by $82.4 million over the request. which will result in more convictions of child pornographers. drug smugglers. human traffickers. and other criminals. full funding is provided for EVerify and all existing 287(g) agreements. For the Transportation Security Administration: TSA screeners are capped at 45.0001.000 below last years level. privatized screening is increased by $12.1 million over the request. funds are reduced from TSAs current request and prior year balances. saving the taxpayers almost $300 million. For the U.S.