Committee Releases Fiscal Year 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill

Press Release

House Appropriations Committee today released the fiscal year 2015 Homeland Security Appropriations bill (H.R. 240), which will be considered on the House floor next week. The last of the 12 annual funding bills to be considered, it funds the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the remainder of the current fiscal year.

In total, the bill provides $39.7 billion in discretionary funding for DHS, an increase of $400 million compared to the fiscal year 2014 enacted level. The bill prioritizes frontline security -- including all operational, counterterrorism, and threat-targeting activities, and essential tactical equipment -- and saves taxpayer dollars by reducing overhead costs and cutting funds for lower-priority programs. In addition, it is expected that an amendment will be added to the bill to address the President's recent executive action on immigration.

"The funding in this bill is targeted to critical security and law enforcement efforts that keep our nation and people safe, and ensure the laws of the land are strongly enforced," House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers said. "This is a responsible bill that makes the most out of each dollar -- making the necessary investments to harden our borders, protect against terrorism, and respond and recover from natural disasters -- while finding ways to save wherever possible. As the last bill of the 2015 Appropriations process, it is high time we get this legislation enacted into law to strengthen our homeland security efforts, ensure our personnel are well equipped and trained, and maintain our readiness for any threats that may come our way."

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