Secretary Johnson announces DHS FY16 budget request

On February 2, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson unveiled the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) fiscal year (FY) 2016 budget request of $41.2 billion in net discretionary funding, building on the progress DHS has made in each of its mission areas while strengthening existing capabilities. The Budget builds on DHS’s efforts to carry out its five primary missions: prevent terrorism and enhance security, secure and manage our borders, enforce and administer our immigration laws; safeguard and secure cyberspace, and strengthen national preparedness and resilience.

“The President’s FY 2016 Budget provides the resources necessary for the Department of Homeland Security to further strengthen our efforts to fulfill our wide-ranging missions, while also being agile and vigilant in the face of ever-evolving threats and recent world events,” said Secretary Johnson. “But prior to acting on the FY 2016 Budget, I urge Congress to fully fund DHS for the rest of this fiscal year, as the current continuing resolution is disruptive, creates uncertainty, and impedes efficient resource planning and execution.”

To strengthen the Department’s ability to carry out its mandates, the Budget supports Secretary Johnson’s challenge to improve DHS Unity of Effort.  This initiative focuses on harmonizing DHS business processes, updating the organizational structure, and re-orienting and bolstering command and control functions. Through strategic review and investments in critical activities and operations across the Department, DHS will incorporate its agencies into a unified decision-making process that empowers its components to effectively execute their missions. Concurrent with the Budget submission, DHS has provided Congress with a blueprint for a new Common Appropriations Structure, which if adopted would standardize financial planning, programming, and budget execution across all DHS agencies.

DHS has also prioritized investments in technology and risk-based, intelligence-driven programs like TSA Pre✓^® and Global Entry, and in the assets necessary to carry out DHS front-line missions today and in the future.

DHS Funding Highlights

The President’s FY 2016 Budget proposes $41.2 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), aligned to the Department’s five primary missions:

• Prevent terrorism and enhance security, protecting the American people by safeguarding critical infrastructure, and implementing layered security on land, in the air, and at sea.  Initiatives like risk-based screening of aviation passengers and other trusted traveler programs strengthen DHS operations while improving their efficiency.
• Secure and manage our borders, including historic levels of front-line personnel, technology, and infrastructure to reduce the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit contraband, while fostering legitimate trade and travel. Recapitalization of critical assets such as non-intrusive inspection technology and the Coast Guard fleet ensure our borders remain secure.
• Enforce and administer our immigration laws, providing safe, secure, and humane detention of removable aliens who are held in government custody because they present a risk of flight, a risk to public safety, or are subject to mandatory detention.
• Safeguard and secure cyberspace, protecting our national and economic security.  The Budget invests in both people and technology to disrupt cyber crimes while strengthening Federal network defenses.
• Strengthen national preparedness and resilience, building a ready and resilient Nation, with the ability to plan, prepare for, and respond to disasters. Proposals for climate resilience coupled with a restructured DHS grant program will help create robust national preparedness capabilities.