WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama signed H.R. 2892, the Fiscal Year 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, into law last evening.  The bill contains an amendment offered by U.S. Reps. Harry Mitchell and Brian Bilbray (R-Cal.), to secure critical funding for security improvements at the border.

"I am pleased the President has signed this important bill into law," said Mitchell. "The provision we added will help us keep Americans safe by increasing border security, as well as improving aviation security and emergency preparedness."

In June, Mitchell, along with Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Cal.), offered an amendment to H.R. 2892, the House version of the FY-2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill, to ensure that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection will have the resources it needs to make critical security improvements to border crossings and ports of entry as it implements the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Specifically, it added $4.9 million to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Border Security Inspections and Trade Facilitation specifically for Inspections, Trade, and Travel Facilitation at Ports of Entry.  The addition was offset by a reduction in the Office of the Under Secretary for Management, so the amendment would not result in any increased spending.

WHTI was the result of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, following the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission to strengthen border security which, as of June 1, 2009, requires travelers entering the United States by land or sea to present a passport or other approved document establishing their identity and citizenship. [Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, February 2009]

The bill, now Public Law Number 111-83, also includes an earmark requested by the City of Scottsdale for $500,000 to move its current Emergency Operations Center (ECO) to a safer and more accessible location and equip the facility to meet Department of Homeland Security standards.  According to the City of Scottsdale, "the Emergency Operations Center is in need of significant enhancements in order to best protect the residents and visitors of the area and meet the EOC capabilities standards of the federal Department of Homeland Security." [Source: City of Scottsdale, FY2010 Appropriations Funding Request]

The new law provides funding for 20,163 Customs and Border Protection border patrol agents, an increase of 6000 since 2006, as well as $2.5 billion for detention and removal of immigration law violators and $800 million for border fencing, infrastructure and technology.  In addition, the measure includes $5.7 billion for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as well as a three-year extension of E-Verify, a federal system which allows employers to check the employees' legal status.