Accordingly, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection budget request for FY 2009 represents an increase of $1.66 billion, or 17.9 percent, over the current year’s enacted budget, excluding funds provided as emergency appropriations. When FY 2008 emergency appropriations are included, the increase is 1.2 percent.

CBP’s FY 2009 budget reflects $9.49 billion in appropriated resources and $1.45 billion in funding acquired through user fees, for a total of $10.94 billion.

CBP is the agency within the Department of Homeland Security responsible for securing our nation’s borders while facilitating global trade and travel. The FY 2009 budget request would allow CBP to fulfill its priority mission of preventing terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the U.S., while simultaneously facilitating the flow of lawful people and trade across our borders.

The budget proposal also would provide necessary resources to ensure that CBP continues to fulfill its traditional missions, including combating the flow of illegal drugs and other contraband, protecting agricultural and economic interests from harmful pests and diseases, collecting import duties and enforcing U.S. trade laws.

The request supports DHS’s Secure Border Initiative, a comprehensive, multi-year plan to secure America’s borders and reduce illegal migration. Effective control of our borders can best be obtained with a comprehensive and integrated border security and enforcement system that leverages investment in agents, technology infrastructure and facilities.

The President’s proposal would allow enhancements in the following areas:

Border Security

Border Patrol Agents
• Provides an additional $442.4 million for 2,200 new Border Patrol agents and 441 operation and mission support positions, directly supporting CBP’s goal to increase and extend control of the borders between ports of entry. Included in this amount is funding for agents and support staff, relocations and training. By the end of calendar year 2008, the number of Border Patrol agents will have doubled since January 2001.

Border Patrol Facilities

• Provides an additional $149.5 million for construction of new facilities or the expansion of existing facilities to accommodate the additional Border Patrol staffing increases. Current facilities are at or close to capacity, and without further investment, CBP will not be able to adequately sustain Border Patrol personnel and operations and accommodate the continued growth in Border Patrol agents.

SBInet

• Provides a total funding level of $775 million to continue efforts to develop and deploy a technology and tactical infrastructure border security system. Along with the SBInet technology and tactical infrastructure, SBInet team will focus on providing the common operating picture to Southwest border sectors, providing agents with more information with which to make sound tactical, operational and strategic decisions rapidly, as well as exchange operational and tactical information. Also included is funding for an additional 30 personnel for program management office operations and procurement personnel.

Ground Transportation

• Provides an additional $8 million for the secure transportation of detainees that is currently being performed by CBP agents and officers. Guard and law enforcement custodial services will also be provided at processing centers or at medical facilities treating ill or injured detainees. Application of these resources will free up an additional 96,000 hours for agents and officers to resume primary law enforcement and investigative duties along the Southwest Border.

CBP Intelligence Program

• Provides an additional $24 million to hire and train 27 personnel and fund personnel relocations to stand-up a 24x7 CBP National Intelligence Watch; and to develop and deploy a comprehensive and innovative Analytical Framework for Intelligence. AFI integrates multiple operational and intelligence databases, provides relevant data flow to the desktop based on mission focus areas and is specifically designed for CBP intelligence officers. The Homeland Security Data Network will be expanded to the field to compliment development of field intelligence capability. This will provide a multi-level security capability for sharing data between classified and unclassified environments, and reliance on an HSPD-12 compliant “single sign-on” capability to facilitate information sharing.

Security At Ports Of Entry

Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
• Provides a total of $140 million (including a program increase of $106.9 million) to support the completion of infrastructure improvements at the top 39 land ports of entry covering 95 percent of the land border arrivals, in support of implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. Funding would support an additional 89 CBP officers ($9.9 million) and equipment and contract services ($97 million). The FY 2009 increment would pay for the completion of the infrastructure improvements to the remaining ports and includes facility modifications and the build out of primary lanes as operationally necessary. In addition, it completes the implementation of the non-Radio Frequency Identification ports of entry, pays for program management and support of the previously installed ports and provides better lane management.

Radiation Portal Monitor Screening

• Provides an additional $35.5 million to hire 295 CBP officers and support positions, to support the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office deployment and operation of Radiation Portal Monitors at ports of entry. This initiative builds on currently operational monitors and further enhances the effectiveness of the program to enable CBP to scan 98 percent of all containers entering the U.S.

Passenger Screening at Land Ports

• Provides an additional $25 million to hire 212 CBP officers and 22 support positions for passenger-processing activities at ports of entry on U.S. borders with Mexico and Canada.

Replacement of Obsolete Non-Intrusive Imaging Systems

• Provides an additional $10 million for the replacement, operation and maintenance of small-scale imaging systems that are approaching the end of their service life and the purchase of new NII small-scale technologies to cover identified deficiencies in inspection and detection capabilities. Small-scale NII equipment enables the CBP to perform more effective and efficient non-intrusive inspections and screenings of international passengers and luggage and of packages and flat mail at mail facilities and consignment centers.

Automated Targeting System Passenger

• Provides an additional $5 million to begin targeting methodology improvement activities and to address the requirement for high priority infrastructure improvements including high availability, Service Oriented Architecture and a simulation and testing environment.

CBP’s Regulatory Program

• Provides an additional $1 million in resources to support CBP’s regulatory program. The requested funds will allow CBP to obtain additional attorneys, economists, paralegals and support personnel. These personnel will aid in performing efficient and legally thorough drafting of new regulations; aid in the removal of inconsistent regulations that may pre-date the department’s creation; aid in issuing guidance to the private sector on homeland security-related matters; and aid in the department’s compliance with new Presidential mandates.

Land Ports of Entry Modernization

• Provides an additional $10 million for the renovation and alteration of CBP-owned land port of entry inspection facilities. This modernization initiative will facilitate the execution of much-needed improvements to locations along the northern and southern border to accommodate increased traffic volume, inspection technology, staffing and security requirements.

Air and Marine Operations

Air and Marine Staffing
• Provides an additional $4 million to hire 24 Unmanned Aircraft Systems pilots to support the CBP expansion of border security operations consistent with the Secure Border Initiative and the CBP Air and Marine’s strategic plan.

Air and Marine Fleet Upgrades

• Provides an additional $20.4 million to contribute toward the acquisition of two multi-role enforcement aircraft and spares ($7 million), the acquisition of one complete UAS system, ground controls and spares ($6 million), and acquisition of marine interceptor vessels ($7.4 million).

Automation Modernization

Traveler Enforcement Communication System
• Provides an additional $25.million to continue enhancing CBP’s mission capabilities by developing and deploying a modernized replacement for TECS. FY 2009 continues a multi-year plan to modernize this system. TECS is the primary subject record “watch list” database for DHS. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Transportation Security Administration, Citizenship and Immigration Services and US-VISIT all rely on TECS for the biographic vetting of people in the completion of their missions.

US Visit Operations & Maintenance

• Provides $62.8 million to provide the operations and maintenance funding to support CBP systems and infrastructure that leverage US-VISIT capabilities. Since FY 2003, US-VISIT enhancements have improved the inspection processes at U.S. ports of entry and enabled changes to the CBP business processes, improving the security of the United States. Beginning in FY 2009, CBP will request this funding to be paid through the CBP appropriation.

Terrorism Prevention System Enhancements

• Provides an additional $10 million to provide 24/7 systems availability, network redundancy, and monitoring. The demand for 100 percent systems and network availability (24/7/365) has increased associated infrastructure costs and this funding will sustain investments made to reduce downtime and increase mission-critical systems availability to CBP personnel worldwide.

Conduct and Integrity Oversight

• Recognizing CBP’s unequivocal commitment to the integrity of its work force, the budget provides $5.3 million for 24 Investigators and 5 support positions to address Internal Affairs staffing needs. The positions will continue to enhance a permanent, full-time group of investigators responsible for investigating all serious non-criminal misconduct allegations and lesser administrative violations involving CBP employees, as well as criminal allegations not related to corruption.