The Department has worked to improve its acquisition programs in
recent years, but DHS still struggles when it comes to major
acquisitions. Take, for example, the SBInet--a southwest border
infrastructure project--that ballooned in cost to about $1 billion
before it was canceled in 2011, after GAO found that it was
ineffective. More recently, there is the case of the Electronic Immigration
System, an automated immigration benefits processing system. According
to the Department's inspector general, this U.S. citizenship
immigration services program is now on course to be completed 4 years
later than originally estimated and at a cost of $1 billion more than
estimated. The importance and complexity of DHS' mission demands effective
oversight of the Department's investments, particularly its major
acquisitions. H.R. 1294 seeks to ensure greater congressional oversight
of such acquisition programs by requiring the Department to report to
Congress when cost, schedule, and performance requirements are not met.
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