CQ - Before Homeland Spending Bill Approved, GOP Offers Amendments in Unusual Subcommittee Markup

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By Eugene Mulero

"If nothing else, this heightened threat environment provides the clearest justification for the bill," Price said.

The bill generally reflects Obama's request for the department, but it diverges in some respects, including $38.5 million above the request for the Coast Guard. The measure also would provide $45 million above the request for additional Customs and Border Protection officers.

Additionally, the bill would require that $2.1 billion of the $5.6 billion Immigration and Customs Enforcement budget be used to deport "dangerous criminal aliens" after a judge's order.

Price said the funding for border protection was necessary, given the national focus on immigration issues.

The subcommittee's top Republican, Harold Rogers of Kentucky, praised the chairman for the bill's funding of immigration and TSA programs and for rectifying "many of the reckless funding deficiencies" in the president's request.

Breaking With Tradition

This year's markup took an unusual turn after the chairman and the ranking member delivered their opening remarks. In a break with regular practice at subcommittee meetings, Rogers and other Republicans offered several amendments. It has become customary for House appropriators to wait until full-committee action to offer amendments.

"Given the uncertainty under which we are being forced to operate, the minority is left with little choice but to break with tradition," Rogers said.

This time last year, seven fiscal 2010 bills already had moved through subcommittees, and Republicans argue that the prospects for a full committee markup are poor. Thus, members of the minority felt this was one of their only opportunities to try to change the bill.

In response to Rogers, Appropriations Chairman David R. Obey, D-Wis., said he intends to see the legislation come in below the president's request and be marked up before his panel.

"It is my intent to move this bill to the full committee and to the floor," he said, adding: "How many other bills progress depends partly on the judgment of whether the Senate is capable of "doing more than putting together a two-car funeral.'"

The subpanel adopted, 10-5, an amendment by Rogers that would prohibit the transfer of detainees from the Guantánamo Bay base in Cuba to the United States. After the vote, Price stressed that the transferring of detainees would be addressed again as the bill moves on.

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