CBP's FY 2011 Budget Contains Funding for IPR, C-TPAT, Etc.

The Department of Homeland Security has recently released its fiscal year 2011 budget request, which contains specific funding requests for U.S. Customs and Border Protection initiatives such as Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, Secure Freight Initiative, intellectual property rights enforcement, screening, etc.

(CBP's FY 2011 automation budget request (including Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), and CBP's FY 2011 goals for various trade programs will be covered in future ITT issues.)

Highlights of CBP's FY 2011 Budget Request for Trade, Security Programs

In its FY 2011 budget, CBP requests a $143 million increase for salaries and expenses (over what was enacted in FY 2010). Highlights of CBP's request include:

Enhanced IPR enforcement - CBP requests an increase of $25 million for IPR enforcement. The additional resources will be used to enhance information technology systems and enforcement activities that support IPR activities and will support the implementation of the IPR 5-Year Plan and CBP's strategic goal of releasing legitimate cargo without delay, intercepting infringing goods, and preventing and deterring violations.

Reduced C-TPAT funding - CBP has requested a reduction of $12 million in C-TPAT. The C-TPAT Automated Web-Base Portal System funding would be reduced by $2 million and the number of contractors (software programmers and testers) assigned to the Office of Information Technology to develop the C-TPAT Automated Web-Based Portal System will be reduced in equal increments from FY 2010-FY 2012. C-TPAT support funds (i.e., equipment, services and supplies) would also be reduced by $10 million.

Additional CBP Officers - CBP is requesting an increase of $44.8 million to fund 318 new Custom and Border Protection Officers plus support personnel.

CBP notes that the decline in the number of passengers and conveyances entering the U.S. in FY 2009 resulted in an almost 8% decrease in revenues from inspection user fees. CBP therefore has fewer resources to maintain critical staffing levels for CBP officers. CBP says that the proposed funding will allow it to maintain and expand staffing for critical positions to protect the U.S. at its ports of entry.

Decreased SFI funding, CSI reversion - CBP has requested a reduction of $16.6 million in the Secure Freight Initiative (SFI) program. Under this reduction, three of the five existing SFI ports (Honduras, Southampton, and Korea) would revert to Container Security Initiative (CSI) protocols. Under CSI protocols, only targeted, high risk cargo would be examined, as opposed to 100% of all cargo under SFI. CSI would increase the use of remote targeting and examinations in order to achieve the program's objectives. SFI operations at Qasim, Pakistan and Salalah, Oman would remain constant.

CSI funding reduction due to automation - CBP is requesting a reduction of $50.7 million in the CSI program. As the CSI program matures, CBP will begin to shift from the initial CSI operating protocols (which were heavily dependent on the placement of U.S. personnel overseas) to a more technological based approach, relying on remote targeting from the National Targeting Center-Cargo (NTC-C), remote examinations and image analysis, and greater reciprocal examination relationships with host governments. As CSI activities transition to a more virtual environment, personnel and mission support resources stationed overseas will be relocated to U.S. domestic ports, allowing the program to become more efficient and less costly.

Additional intelligence analysts - CBP requests an increase of $10 million to fund 103 Intelligence Analysts to support 24/7 operations of CBP Intelligence Watch, Operations Coordination and the Commissioner's Situation Room. These positions will insure that CBP's leadership is provided with the intelligence information required to make tactically and strategically sound decisions.

Western Hemisphere Traveler Initiative reduction - CBP is requesting a reduction of $24.5 million in the WHTI Program. The legislative mandate to implement WHTI was met in June 2009. All other enhancements have gone or will go beyond the legislative mandate.

National Targeting Center funding increase - CBP is requesting an increase of $10.1 million for the National Targeting Center. Most of that increase will have no programmatic impact and is needed to correct an error by realigning positions provided for in previous funding legislation.

(See ITT's Online Archives or 02/02/10 news, 10020210, for BP summary of the President's FY 2011 budget proposal.)

CBP's budget justification available at http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/dhs_congressional_budget_justification_fy2011.pdf

CBP's budget in brief available at http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/budget_bib_fy2011.pdf.

DHS' FY 2011 budget fact sheet available at http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1265049379725.shtm.