PARKERSBURG — A Homeland Security bill reported out of committee Tuesday includes funds for the Trump Administration’s border wall, West Virginia’s two U.S. senators said.

The Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee on Tuesday reviewed the $51.15 billion 2019 Homeland Security funding bill. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., is chairman of the subcommittee.

The legislation includes resources for border security, cybersecurity, the opioid epidemic, state and local grants and other programs to keep Americans safe and The fully funds the Trump’s request for the border wall system, Capito said.

“My highest priority in writing this bill was providing what is necessary to secure U.S. borders, and I’m proud to say that our legislation recommends a major down payment to that end,” she said.

Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., a member of the subcommittee, said he applauds the $1.6 billion for the border wall

“We need more border patrol agents, drones, towers, ground sensors, thermal imaging, and Blackhawk helicopters at the border to ensure there is complete surveillance,” he said. “We must secure our border and make sure that dangerous criminals cannot enter this country and that people coming into our country are doing so legally.”

The bill now goes before the full committee on Thursday, Capito said.

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Among the chief points in the bill:

  • $48.33 billion in discretionary funding, $611 million above the 2018 level and $900 million above the president’s request, to fund border security, disaster relief, transportation security, immigration enforcement and cybersecurity.
  • $14.30 billion for Customs and Border Protection, $239 million more than 2018, for 375 new Border Patrol agents, 375 new CBP officers, equipment, and technology required to support operations at borders and ports of entry. The allocation fully funds the president’s budget request for the border wall system.
  • $7.21 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, $134 million above 2018.
  • $4.84 billion for Transportation Security Administration, $10.19 billion for the U.S. Coast Guard, $2.18 billion for the Secret Service, $1.95 billion for the National Protection and Programs Directorate and $11.69 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
  • $512 million for State Homeland Security Grants, including $90 million for Operation Stonegarden.
  • $605 million for Urban Area Security Initiative grants, including $20 million for non-profit organizations.
  • $100 million each for Port and Transit Security grants.
  • $700 million for Fire and SAFER grants.
  • $350 million for Emergency Management Performance grants.
  • $250 million for Pre-disaster Mitigation.
  • $250 million for Flood Hazard Mapping and Risk Analysis Program.
  • $15 million for Regional Catastrophic Preparedness grants.
  • $15 million for the Rehabilitation of High Hazard Potential Dams grants.
  • $66 million for the Center for Domestic Preparedness.
  • $18 million for the Center for Homeland Defense and Security.
  • $21 million for the Emergency Management Institute.
  • $101 million for the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium.
  • $132 million for U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for E-Verify operations and enhancements.
  • $361 million for Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers.
  • $13 million for the Science and Technology Directorate.
  • $457 million for the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office/Office of Health Affairs.
  • $1.5 billion for Departmental Management and Operations.


Oversight and accountability by: limiting the diversion of funds provided for personnel to unrequested and unplanned expenditures; requiring the department to submit a report on visa overstays and publish border security metrics; requiring the department to submit quarterly obligation and staffing plans and better details in budget justification; requiring the department to report conference spending to the inspector general and limiting the use of funds for certain conferences; requiring the department to link all contracts that provide award fees to successful acquisition outcomes, and prohibiting funds to pay for award or incentive fees for contractors with below satisfactory performance.