Key appropriators may seek more rail security funding

Two key Democratic appropriators said Tuesday they will look at boosting funding in the Homeland Security Department's fiscal 2008 budget for rail and mass transit security and the nation's ports, but said specific details will have to wait until President Bush submits his spending request next week.

House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman David Price, D-N.C., said his panel will "probably" shift money within the department's budget to reflect the priorities of House Democrats.

"It remains to be seen what kind of shifts might be called for," Price told CongressDaily, adding that he had not yet seen any portions of the president's budget request.

Price said his panel will take "a fresh look" at the department's spending plan, adding that Democrats generally agree that more funding is needed for port security and modes of transportation other than aviation.

Price also expressed interest in providing more funding to secure the nation's chemical facilities.

His emphasis on rail and transit security follows Monday's unveiling of House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson's agenda, which had rail security as the highest priority. The head of the authorizing committee said his first big piece of legislation will seek to strengthen security on passenger and freight rail systems.

Meanwhile, Senate Appropriations Chairman Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., said in an interview that he, too, may reorder spending priorities in the fiscal 2008 Homeland Security budget, although he said it was premature to discuss any changes he would like to make.

Byrd, who now also chairs the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, has offered eight different amendments to fund rail and transit security since 2001, all of which were defeated, according to his aides. Byrd also tried unsuccessfully last year to add $190 million for port security grants to the fiscal 2007 Homeland Security budget to bring the spending level in line with that approved by authorizers.

Price said he intends to produce a budget bill that is relatively free of congressional earmarks, but will likely contain "directives" to the Homeland Security Department. "I'm not looking to heavily earmark this bill," he said.

At least one suggestion for such a directive surfaced during a hearing before Price's panel Tuesday. National security experts encouraged Congress to establish standards and mandates to improve the nation's ability to deal with disasters, especially when it comes to requiring public safety agencies to have interoperable communications equipment.

"I'm a great advocate of deadlines as an inducement to meeting national requirements," said retired Coast Guard Adm. James Loy, a former Homeland Security deputy secretary.