House, Senate security bills differ on tech projects

The Senate and House versions of legislation to fund Homeland Security Department programs in fiscal 2008 track closely in many areas, but major differences for conference appear to include funding for the US-VISIT system for tracking foreigners, state and local grants, and the Coast Guard's fleet-modernization program.

The Senate Appropriations Committee recommended about $36.4 billion total for the department in its budget released last week, about $200 million more than what the House passed on Friday.

While the bills are similar in many ways, lawmakers in the two chambers diverge over how much funding should be provided for several of the department's largest spending programs and technology efforts.

Senators opted to provide only $362 million for US-VISIT, $100 million less than the House. The system is supposed to use biometrics identifiers to verify when foreigners enter and leave the country.

The Senate Appropriations Committee slammed the department over its failure to implement an exit component for the system.

"In May 2007, the department ceased operating the severely limited 'exit' pilots that had been running at select airports and seaports, with the promise that the airlines would be brought into the 'exit' process," they wrote in their committee report. "However, the department has lost all credibility in this area and the committee is skeptical that this approach will be followed through with any more commitment than has been shown to an 'exit' capability so far."

Senators also noted that the department has also missed numerous program reporting deadlines.

On another front, senators voted to provide about $200 million less funding than the House for grant programs.

The House bill would create two new grant programs, one for communications systems that work across jurisdictions and another to help states meet the requirements of the so-called REAL ID Act, which mandates secure, standard identification documents by May 2008. Both programs would get $50 million. The Senate bill would not create those programs.

The House measure would provide $800 million for firefighter assistance grants, compared with $700 million in the Senate bill. The House also would allocate about $50 million more than the Senate for state homeland security grants and terrorism-prevention grants for law enforcement.

Senators would give the Coast Guard $770 million for the Deepwater fleet-modernization program, compared with $700 million in the House bill. The House also would withhold $400 million of that until the department submits a detailed expenditure plan.

The two chambers also differ on funding levels for other programs and technology projects:

-- The House would provide $560 million to procure and install explosives-detection systems at the nation's airports; the Senate would provide about $530 million.

-- The House would allocate $73 million to inspect air cargo being put on passenger airplanes, compared with about $66 million in the Senate bill.

-- The Senate would allocate $253 million for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which requires travelers to have passports or similar cards to enter the United States when traveling from Bermuda, Canada, the Caribbean or Mexico. The House would provide $225 million. Both chambers, however, appear to be in line on delaying implementation of the law until June 2009 for land and sea travelers.

-- The Senate would provide $550 million for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, compared with $516 million in the House bill.