Senate Approves 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill
NEWS CATEGORY: Gov't Affairs
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September 29, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Senate today passed the House-Senate Conference Committee Report for the $34.8 billion Fiscal Year 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The conference report, which included several provisions that benefit Alaska, passed by voice vote and will now go to the President for his signature.

“This bill funds a variety of essential programs that keep Americans safe and our homeland secure,” said Senator Ted Stevens (R-Alaska). “Several of this bill’s provisions directly impact our state. Funding for the Transportation Security Administration and the United States Coast Guard will help ensure Alaska’s airports, railroads, and waterways are secure. This bill will also help our state prepare for natural disasters such as typhoons, severe storms, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.”

One of the bill’s key provisions is a measure authored by Senator Stevens and Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) that extends the implementation deadline for the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). The WHTI requires all U.S. citizens to present a passport or other accepted secure document when entering the United States. The original implementation deadline was January 1, 2008, but due to concerns about whether the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State could implement passcard technology infrastructure and accomplish other important activities within this timeframe, Senator Stevens and Senator Leahy worked with their colleagues to extend the deadline. The new deadline, June 1, 2009, gives the departments additional time and ensures the WHTI will not disproportionately impact Alaskans and those traveling to and from the state.

“Alaska is the only state in the nation which cannot be accessed by land without passing through a foreign country. Because this initiative will have a direct impact on our state, we must make sure the new guidelines have been properly tested and implemented,” said Senator Stevens.

Senator Stevens also worked on a provision in the bill that ensures the Coast Guard’s Long Range Navigation (LORAN-C) system will continue. The LORAN-C system provides civil and military air, land, and marine users with navigation, location, and timing services in Alaska and other states.

Originally, the President’s budget directed the Coast Guard to terminate the LORAN-C program. However, at Senator Stevens’ request, the Senate bill included language to continue the program. The 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations bill now specifies that the LORAN-C program cannot be terminated unless all relevant agencies agree to eliminate it. The public must also be notified of any plans to terminate the program, and the Senate Appropriations Committee must receive a report within 15 days of the decision to terminate.

“The LORAN-C system provides navigational capabilities in areas where GPS does not work. This system is a vital tool for our mariners and pilots in Alaska and other coastal states,” said Senator Stevens. “This provision ensures the LORAN-C system will not be terminated unless navigational systems are in place that can fully replace its current capabilities.”

The following Alaska related-items are also included in the 2007 Homeland Security Appropriations bill:

• $15 million to rebuild and repair a Navy HH-60H Coast Guard helicopter, which will replace the HH-60J helicopter that was lost on December 8, 2004 during a rescue mission off the coast of Unalaska Island.

• $3 million for the Rural Fire Initiative, which will fund fire equipment for remote locations without running water. Alaskan villages and Alaska Villages Initiatives, a non-profit, membership-based company, can apply for this funding.

• $8 million for Cyber Crime Centers; the Cyber Crime program in Anchorage is eligible to receive a portion of these funds.

The conference report also includes a compromise provision that allows Americans to import prescription drugs approved by the Federal Drug Administration from Canada. This measure will enable Alaskans to safely purchase prescription drugs in Canada and bring them back into the United States as long as the person who purchased the prescription is the individual that carries it back into the country.