Politics 10 edited

Statement by Secretary Mayorkas on the President’s Fiscal Year 2022 Budget

The following press release was published by the US Department of Homeland Security on May 28. It is reproduced in full below.

The Biden-Harris Administration today submitted to Congress the President’s Budget for fiscal year 2022. As the Administration continues to make progress defeating the pandemic and getting our economy back on track, the Budget makes historic investments that will help the country build back better and lay the foundation for shared growth and prosperity for decades to come.

“The President’s proposed Budget will invest in our broad mission set, including preventing terrorism; keeping our borders secure; repairing our broken immigration system; improving cybersecurity; safeguarding critical infrastructure; and strengthening national preparedness and resilience,” said Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas. “The Budget will provide DHS with the resources we need to keep our country safe, strong, and prosperous.” The Budget includes the two historic plans the President has already put forward — the American Jobs Plan and the American Families Plan – and reinvests in education, research, public health, and other foundations of our country’s strength. At the Department of Homeland Security, the Budget: * Invests in Effective and Modern Border Management. The Budget provides over $1 billion for border infrastructure including modernization of land ports of entry and investments in modern border security technology and assets – and migrant care. These investments would facilitate more robust and effective security screening to guard against human smuggling, the movement of illicit drugs and weapons, the entry of undocumented migrants, and the import of unlawful goods, as well as provide for migrant care and the more efficient processing of legal trade, travel, and commerce through the Nation’s Land Ports of Entry. The Budget includes no additional funding for border wall construction and proposes the cancellation of prior-year balances that are unobligated at the time Congress takes action on the FY 2022 Budget.

* Improves Federal Cybersecurity across Government. The Budget provides $2.1 billion, a $110 million increase from the 2021 enacted level, for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which builds on the $650 million provided for CISA in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. This funding would allow CISA to enhance its cybersecurity tools, hire highly qualified experts, and obtain support services to protect and defend Federal information technology systems. The Budget also provides $20 million for a new Cyber Response and Recovery Fund.

* Responds to Domestic Terrorism. The Budget provides a total of $131 million to support diverse, innovative, and community-driven methods to prevent domestic terrorism while respecting civil rights and civil liberties. This funding supports critical research on the root causes of radicalization and enhanced community outreach. The Budget includes $20 million for grants to build local capacity to prevent targeted violence and all forms of terrorism, in addition to a minimum of $77 million available under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Homeland Security Grant Program. These investments complement those that the Budget includes for the Department of Justice.

* Confronts Climate Change and Other Disasters. The Budget expands DHS’s work with State and local communities to prepare for and mitigate the impacts of climate change. It invests an additional $540 million above the 2021 enacted level to incorporate climate impacts into pre-disaster planning and resilience efforts. This funding level also supports a resilient infrastructure community grant program, which prioritizes climate resilience projects for vulnerable and historically underserved communities. In addition, the Budget continues investments in the disaster workforce to ensure sufficient personnel are trained and available for deployment to help communities respond to and recover from future disasters.

For more information on the President’s FY 2022 Budget, please visit: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/.

Source: US Department of Homeland Security

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