Port security funding is on the right track

Jeff Berman, Group News Editor -- Logistics Management, 6/20/2008

WASHINGTON—United States port security funding was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and the House Appropriations Subcommittee in their for fiscal year 2009 budget recommendations for the Department of Homeland Security at $400 million.

If approved this funding would be allocated for the Port Security Grant Program was initially introduced as part of the Security and Accountability for Every (SAFE) Port Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush in October 2006.

The Port Security Grant Program assists public ports in funding maritime facility security improvements and protects maritime facilities from terrorist attacks.

A statement from the Senate Appropriations Committee said that the bill is comprised of $41.3 billion in high-priority security projects, including an increase of almost $2.5 billion above President Bush’s budget request and $2.6 billion above the fiscal year 2008 funding level. The budget recommendations also includes funding for 682 new Customs and Border Protection officers—an increase of 143 positions above what was requested—and $122.8 million for air cargo security initiatives, among other allocations.

Despite the $400 million recommendation, the White House only requested $210 million to pay for port security grants in fiscal year 2008, event though it approved the recommended $400 million appropriation level for fiscal year 2008, according to the American Association of Port Authorities. 

An AAPA spokesman told LM that the House and Senate’s recommendations are “very good news” for the organization.

“This is not a done deal, though,” said the spokesman. “It still has to go through a House and Senate floor vote, and the President has not signed it. Steps have to be taken, but this is wonderful news with regard to the initial steps that need to be taken to get this appropriation at the same level we got for fiscal year 2008. And with the President only requesting $210 for fiscal year 2009, we were concerned that Congress might reduce the appropriation this year after it had approved the $400 million for 2008.”

The AAPA spokesman also said that the organization would continue to push hard for Port Security Grant Program funding for 2009 at the $400 million level, because it is critical that U.S. ports are funded at the level that was authorized in the SAFE Ports Act.