To Members of the NASULGC Family:
Attached is a memorandum from the BRT detailing final
House-Senate action on the F.Y. 2004 Department of Homeland
Security Appropriations bill. As you can see, the conferees
adopted two important provisions of benefit to the NASULGC family:
 $70 M
for university-based homeland security centers (+$60M beyond the
president's request)
A
requirement for a joint DHS-USDA/CSREES strategy "for combating
agro-terrorism."
In an extremely tight budgetary year, these are two important
victories.Memorandum
This memorandum provides a report on the DHS Appropriations
legislation for the fiscal year that begins on October 1, 2003. As
you may know, this conference report to accompany this legislation
was approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives
on September 24 and the enrolled bill is awaiting the president’s
signature. The following two items are of direct interest to the
NASULGC family:
University-Based Homeland Security Centers
“The conferees agree to provide $70,000,000, an increase of
$60,000,000 over the budget request of $10,000,000, to establish a
university-based system to enhance the nation’s homeland security
efforts. The conferees encourage the Department to consider all
colleges and universities that meet the requirements of 6 U.S.C.
188* in the selection of university-based centers, including
historically black colleges and universities, tribal colleges,
Hispanic-serving institutions, and Alaskan Native-serving
institutions.” – H. Rpt. 108-280 Conference Report to Accompany
H.R.2555
The BRT had good success in getting increased funding for this
particular line item within the DHS bill. These funds are all
competitive and the BRT will work with DHS and our Congressional
champions to get information on how the funding and decision
process will proceed.
Biological Countermeasures - DHS-CSREES Report
“With the increased focus on the possibility of agricultural
terrorism, the Committee expects the Office of Science and
Technology to work with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
to identify high-priority research opportunities. The Department’s
budget request includes $14,000,000 within the biological
countermeasures program for agro-terrorism research. To ensure
appropriate coordination and collaboration between the two
agencies, the Department is directed to work with USDA to prepare
a comprehensive strategy for combating agro-terrorism. The report
should identify ongoing research being conducted by USDA, and any
gaps in the current research portfolio that could be funded by the
Department. This report is due to the Committee by January 15,
2004.”
– H. Rpt. 108-169, Report to Accompany H.R. 2555
The required report described above was included in the House DHS
bill and approved by the conference committee in direct response
to the BRT’s efforts to influence this first-ever funding bill for
the Department of Homeland Security.
*Notes
1. To review that portion of the DHS organic act referenced
above, click here.
2. The conference report incorporated, by reference, this
provision that appeared in the House report. |
