* $153 million for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, of which no more than 3.5% may be used for administrative expenses. This program is designed to help address the problems of hunger and homelessness associated with disasters.
* $60 million for Urban Search and Rescue Teams, of which no more than 3% may be used for administrative expenses. This provides funding for the operations, equipment and training of search and rescue teams.
* $5.6 billion in advance appropriations for the years FY 2004 to FY 2013 for Project Bioshield, of which $890 million is available in FY 2004. Under this program, DHS will work with the Department of Health and Human Services to accelerate the development and procurement of advanced vaccines and treatments to protect Americans against biological, chemical, and radiological threats.
Modernizing the U.S. Coast Guard
Of $6.8 billion provided for the Coast Guard,
* $668 million is allocated to the Integrated Deepwater System Project, the Coast Guard’s multi-year recapitalization that will replace or modernize the Coast Guard’s large ships, aircraft, sensors, command and control systems, and logistics system. Deepwater funding in FY-04 including $143 million for aircraft, which will include the purchase of a CASA 235 maritime patrol aircraft; $303 million to be used in part for construction of the first 420-foot National Security Cutter; $101 million for use in part for continued development of a network-centric command and control system that will provide a common operating picture; $24.7 million for a common logistics information system; and continued development of the vertical unmanned aerial vehicle that will deploy from IDS cutters.
* The FY 2004 budget provides for 7 additional deployable Maritime Safety and Security Teams for a total of 13 teams. Each team includes 90 people and 6 boats, which provide a robust security posture in ports to protect vulnerable assets such as bridges, nuclear power plants, passenger vessels, and vessels carrying hazardous cargo.
* An additional $26.3 million and 529 new personnel increase the Coast Guard’s search and rescue capability, and the safety of its people as they perform rescues during storms, floods, and darkness.
Science and Technology
$918.2 million is provided for Science and Technology, including:
* $88 million for the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center to build a facility that will be the DHS “hub and spoke” system that will further the mission of increasing understanding of potential bioterrorism pathogens and improving protection of human health and agriculture against biological terrorism.
* $75 million for the Rapid Prototyping Program, to fund counterterrorism projects selected through last summer’s and this fall’s Technical Support Working Group solicitations, and to support the rapid adaptation of commercial technologies through the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency (HSARPA) for use by DHS and state and local first responders.
* $70 million for the Homeland Security University Programs. This program will include the Homeland Security Scholars and Fellows program that will provide scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing scientific studies in homeland security. In addition, it will include the Homeland Security Centers of Excellence (HS-Centers) program that will establish a coordinated, university-based system to enhance the Nation’s homeland security. The HS-Centers will be a critical component of our nation’s defenses by providing a dedicated capability that will enhance our ability to anticipate, prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks.[p
