President Bush's FY 2009 Budget: Failing to Provide Much Needed Funding for Critical Homeland Security Priorities

摘要

On February 4, 2008, President Bush delivered the Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The proposed budget is woefully lacking on a number of critical priorities. The most significant of these priorities are outlined in Chairman Thompson's eight-point plan entitled, Charting the Course towards Freedom from Fear, which includes the following: Improving the Functionality, Governance, and Accountability of the Department of Homeland Security; Enhancing Security for All Modes of Transportation; Response, Resilience, and Recovery in the Wake of a National Emergency; Shielding the Nation's Critical Infrastructure from Foreign and Domestic Terrorism; Securing the Homeland and Preserving Civil Liberties in Times of Terror; Connecting the Dots: Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Interoperability; Implementing Common Sense Border and Port Security; Inspiring Minds and Developing Technology--The Future of Homeland Security. A robust Department, with a clear mission, trained personnel, and necessary resources are vital to the security of the homeland.