President Obama’s budget proposal for the year starting Oct. 1 would reduce homeland security funding nearly 3 percent but spend more on some of the department's most expensive agencies, reports the Washington Post. The net reduction would create new challenges for a sprawling 10-year-old organization trying to deal with evolving threats that involve terrorism, cybersecurity, natural disasters and border management. Under the proposal, the Department of Homeland Security would get $38.2 billion next year, compared to $39.3 billion in 2014. Despite that proposed cut, some of the department's individual agencies would see substantial increases.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency would benefit most, with an 8.2-percent jump, followed by the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office with a 6.7-percent increase and Customs and Border Protection with 2.6 percent more cash. The Science and Technology Directorate would take the hardest hit with 12.2 percent less funding, while the Coast Guard and Immigration and Customs Enforcement would lose about 4 percent apiece. The Transportation Security Administration, which handles airport screening, would see a slight cut of 0.8 percent. House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mike McCaul (R-TX), criticized proposed cuts to law-enforcement agencies such as the Coast Guard and ICE while requesting more money for a DHS headquarters project.