Cochran: Negotiators Agree to Fund Coast Guard Cutters, Stennis Center
Project

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) today reported the
successful conclusion of House-Senate conference negotiations on the FY2010
Homeland Security Appropriations Bill (HR.2892), a measure that includes
resources for homeland security activities to be carried out in Mississippi.



Cochran, the ranking Republican on the Senate Appropriations Committee and a
member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, served
on the conference committee that today completed reconciling differences in
House and Senate-passed versions of the legislation. The bill now requires
final approval from both houses of Congress before it can be sent to the
White House.



"The FY2010 bill we will send to the President will direct resources to the
Department of Homeland Security to continue the work of ensuring the safety
of the American people," Cochran said. "The missions of the Department of
Homeland Security must continually meet the evolving threats to our country,
and I am pleased that there are programs in Mississippi that help meet those
goals."



Cochran noted that the conference agreement provides $150 million for
department-wide Data Center Development and Migration, a large portion of
which will be spent to consolidate DHS-owned data and applications at the
Stennis Space Center's National Center for Critical Information Processing
and Storage. Additionally, $38.8 million of these funds will be directed to
data center upgrades at Stennis.



For the U.S. Coast Guard, the conference committee affirmed its support for
$281.4 million for procurement of the fourth National Security Cutter and
endorsed the Senate's addition of $108.0 million for long-lead materials for
the fifth National Security Cutter. The conferees also agreed to Senate
report language supporting the procurement of one National Security Cutter
each year until all eight planned ships are procured.



At Cochran's request, the measure continues to include report language
encouraging the DHS Office of Infrastructure Protection to work with the
University of Southern Mississippi's Center for Spectator Sports Security
Management "to address the range of potential and actual threats and risks
to the ongoing safety and security at venues with large crowds."



"Counterterrorism officials in September issued a bulletin stating that
sports stadiums and other facilities that attract large crowds could be
targets. This University of Southern Mississippi center is the nation's
leader in training officials on how best to protect these sites and our
citizens in attendance," Cochran said.



"Security officials in the NFL, Major League Baseball, professional racing
and the NCAA all look to Hattiesburg when they need answers on how best to
secure their facilities, and have asked Congress to ensure that the Homeland
Security Department continues to support the university's efforts," he said.



Other items of interest to Mississippi in HR.2892 include:



Southeast Region Research Initiative (SERRI) - $20.9 million for SERRI at
the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, for funding competitively awarded to
Southeastern universities to conduct Homeland Security-related research to
improve local and state disaster, anti-terrorism and emergency readiness.
This program is particularly focused on the unique homeland security
challenges faced by the Southeast United States. (The University of
Mississippi, Mississippi State University, University of Southern
Mississippi, Jackson State University and Alcorn State University are all
members of the SERRI university consortium.)



Explosives Detection Systems (EDS) Procurement - No less than 28 percent of
$778.3 million provided to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
for EDS procurement will be used at small and medium-sized airports. A
similar provision in last year's Homeland Security Appropriations Act
allowed TSA to deliver an EDS system to the Tunica Airport earlier this
year.



Federal Emergency Management Agency, State and Local Grants - $950 million
for State Homeland Security Grants, $350 million for Port Security Grants,
$810 million for Firefighter Assistance Grants and $340 million for
Emergency Management Performance Grants. The state of Mississippi, local
communities and fire departments receive grants through these programs.

Cochran Presser
10/21/9