[House Document 113-130]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
113th Congress, 2d Session - - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 113-130
A REQUEST FOR EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL
APPROPRIATIONS FOR FY 2014
__________
COMMUNICATION
from
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
transmitting
A EMERGENCY SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST FOR FISCAL YEAR (FY)
2014
July 10, 2014.--Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered
to be printed
The White House,
Washington, DC, July 8, 2014.
Hon. John A. Boehner,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
Dear Mr. Speaker: On June 30, I provided an update on my
Administration's efforts in addressing the urgent humanitarian
situation on both sides of the Southwest border with an
aggressive, unified, and coordinated Federal response. Today, I
ask the Congress to consider the enclosed emergency
supplemental appropriations request for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014
that includes $3.7 billion to comprehensively address this
urgent humanitarian situation.
This funding would support a sustained border security
surge through enhanced domestic enforcement, including air
surveillance; expenses related to the repatriation and
reintegration of migrants; associated transportation costs;
additional immigration judge teams, immigration prosecutors,
and immigration litigation attorneys to ensure cases are
processed fairly and as quickly as possible; funding to address
the root causes of migration; public diplomacy and
international information programs; the operational costs of
responding to the significant rise in apprehensions of
unaccompanied children and adults traveling with children; and
expenses associated with the appropriate care for those
apprehended, consistent with Federal law, and the necessary
medical response.
I am also requesting $615 million for emergency wildfire
suppression activities for FY 2014, and a new discretionary cap
adjustment for wildfire suppression operations starting in FY
2015. This funding would provide for the necessary expenses for
wildfire suppression and rehabilitation activities this fiscal
year so we can fight fires without having to resort to damaging
transfers from our wildfire treatment and protection
activities. Too often in recent years, this cycle of transfers
has undermined our efforts to prepare for and reduce the
severity of wildfires, which is both fiscally imprudent and
self-defeating.
My request includes language to support a discretionary cap
adjustment to allow the Federal Government to respond to
severe, complex, and threatening fires or a severe fire season
in the same way as we fund other natural disasters such as
hurricanes or earthquakes. This approach would provide funding
certainty in future years for firefighting costs, free up
resources to invest in areas that will promote long-term forest
health and reduce fire risk, and maintain fiscal responsibility
by addressing wildfire disaster needs through agreed-upon
funding mechanisms.
My Administration requests that the funding described above
be designated as emergency requirements pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985, as amended, (BBEDCA). In addition, my
Administration requests that a new cap adjustment for wildfire
suppression operations be added to section 251(b)(2) of BBEDCA.
I urge the Congress to act expeditiously in considering
this important request, the details of which are set forth in
the enclosed letter from the Acting Director of the Office of
Management and Budget.
Finally, separate from this request, my Administration will
continue to work with the Congress--following up on my letter
to congressional leadership on June 30, 2014--to ensure that we
have the legal authorities to maximize the impact of our
efforts, including providing the Secretary of Homeland Security
additional authority to exercise discretion in processing the
return and removal of unaccompanied minor children from non-
contiguous countries like Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador,
and increasing penalties for those who smuggle vulnerable
migrants, like children.
Sincerely,
Barack Obama.
[Estimate No. 3, 113th Cong., 2nd Sess.]
Executive Office of the President,
Office of Management and Budget,
Washington, DC, July 8, 2014.
The President,
The White House.
Dear Mr. President: Submitted for your consideration is an
emergency supplemental request for $3.7 billion to address the
urgent humanitarian situation in the Rio Grande Valley areas of
our Nation's southwest border. This request also includes $615
million for emergency wildfire suppression activities for FY
2014 and a new discretionary cap adjustment for wildfire
suppression operations starting in FY 2015.
As you know, while overall rates of apprehensions across
our Southwest border remain at near historic lows,
apprehensions and processing of children and individuals from
Central America crossing the border in the Rio Grande Valley
have continued at high rates. Your Administration continues to
address this crisis with a whole-of-government response on both
sides of the border. These actions will permit us to fulfill
our legal and moral obligations to appropriately care for
unaccompanied children who are apprehended, while taking
aggressive steps to surge resources to our Southwest border to
deter both adults and children from embarking on this dangerous
journey, increase capacity for enforcement and removal
proceedings. and quickly return recent unlawful border crossers
to their home countries after appropriate humanitarian
screenings are conducted and it is determined that no relief is
available.
To date, the Government-wide response includes efforts by
the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice (DOJ) to
deploy additional enforcement resources--including immigration
judges, Immigration and Customs Enforcement attorneys, and
asylum officers--to focus on individuals and adults traveling
with children from Central America and entering without
authorization across the Southwest border. Part of this surge
includes detention of adults traveling with children, as well
as expanded use of the Alternatives to Detention program, to
avoid a more significant humanitarian situation. DHS is working
to secure additional space that satisfies applicable legal and
humanitarian standards for detention of adults with children.
This surge of resources means that cases are processed fairly
and as quickly as possible, ensuring the protection of asylum
seekers and refugees while enabling the prompt removal of
individuals who do not qualify for asylum or other forms of
relief from removal. Finally, to attack the criminal
organizations and smuggling rings that are exploiting these
individuals, agencies are surging law enforcement task forces
in cooperation with our international partners, with a focus on
stepped-up interdiction and prosecution.
Under your direction, the Administration also continues to
work closely with our Mexican and Central American partners to
address the root causes of this problem, stem the flow of
adults and unaccompanied children into the United States, and
expand capacity to receive and reintegrate repatriated
migrants. Following the Vice President's June 20th meeting with
leaders from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, to
discuss our shared responsibility for promoting security, these
countries committed to working together and with the United
States to address the immediate humanitarian crisis as well as
the long-term challenges in their countries. Secretary Kerry
met with leaders from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras on
July 1st in Panama, and his remarks highlighted some of the
challenges driving migration, the importance of applying the
law and combating misinformation, and working together with
Central American partners to address these challenges. We are
working with our Central American partners, nongovernmental
organizations, and other influential voices to send a clear
message to potential migrants so that they understand the
significant dangers of this journey and to make clear that they
are not eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals
process or earned citizenship provisions that are part of
comprehensive immigration reform pending in the Congress. As
part of this effort, we have also committed foreign assistance
resources to improve the capacity of these countries to receive
and reintegrate returned individuals and address the underlying
security and economic issues that cause migration.
While we are working across all of these channels, we also
are focused on ensuring that sufficient resources and
authorities exist to support a comprehensive approach to
stemming this crisis. Accordingly, this request would provide
funding to: support a sustained border security surge through
enhanced domestic enforcement, including air surveillance; pay
for expenses related to the repatriation and reintegration of
migrants, associated transportation costs, and additional
immigration judge teams, immigration prosecutors, and
immigration litigation attorneys to ensure cases are processed
fairly and as quickly as possible; address the root causes of
migration; public diplomacy and international information
programs; the operational costs of responding to the
significant rise in apprehensions of unaccompanied children and
adults traveling with children; and pay for expenses associated
with the appropriate care for those apprehended, consistent
with Federal law, including necessary medical responses.
In addition, the request would provide resources necessary
to support wildfire suppression and rehabilitation activities
this year, and would fund these activities in a more fiscally
sustainable manner going forward. As you know, too often in
recent years, Federal funding for wildfire suppression has
proved insufficient to address rising costs. When this happens,
the Government is forced to transfer hundreds of millions of
dollars away from critical forest programs to fund wildfire
suppression activities. It forces the Government to delay or
suspend, key fire preparedness, forest maintenance, research,
and other activities, and creates a vicious cycle.
Unfortunately, current projections of suppression needs
indicate this cycle is set to repeat itself once again this
year. The Department of Agriculture currently projects that the
costs for fire suppression could exceed appropriated funding by
over $600 million. The proposal you introduced in the Budget--
modeled on bipartisan proposals in both houses of the
Congress--would break this cycle by budgeting for the most
extreme fires just as we do for other disasters like
hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes, and to do so in a
fiscally responsible way that would not increase the total
amount of discretionary resources available to spend. The
discretionary cap adjustment included in this request would re-
propose this approach.
The amounts requested to address the urgent humanitarian
situation in the Rio Grande Valley areas of our Nation's
southwest border, and the wildfire suppression activities are
designated as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985, as amended (BBEDCA). In addition, this
request includes a proposal to add a new cap adjustment for
wildfire suppression operations to section 251(b)(2) of BBEDCA.
The major categories of funding--in Agency order--are
highlighted below:
Department of Agriculture Wildfire Management
$615 million for wildfire suppression.
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Administration for
Children and Families
$1.8 billion for additional capacity to care for
unaccompanied children including through more stable, cost-
effective arrangements, while maintaining services for
refugees; and the necessary medical response to the arrival of
these children. With these funds, HHS will have the resources
to be able to care for the children currently projected to come
into the custody of the Department of Homeland Security.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE)
$879 million for the detention, prosecution, and
removal of apprehended undocumented families;
$116 million for transportation costs associated
with the surge in apprehensions of unaccompanied children; and
$109 million for expanded domestic and
international immigration and customs investigatory and other
enforcement efforts.
DHS Customs and Border Protection
$364 million for operational costs associated with
responding to the surge in the apprehensions of unaccompanied
children and families;
$29 million for expansion of the Border
Enforcement Security Task Force program; and
$39 million to increase air surveillance
capabilities to improve detection and interdiction of illegal
activity in the Rio Grande Valley region.
Department of Justice (DOJ) Administrative Review and Appeals
$45.4 million for additional immigration judge
teams to increase case processing;
$2.5 million for expansion of the legal
orientation program; and
$15.0 million for direct legal representation
services to children in immigration proceedings.
DOJ General Legal Activities
$1.1 million for additional immigration litigation
attorneys to support Federal agencies involved in detainee
admission, regulation, and removal action.
Department of State (State) and Other International Programs (OIP)
Diplomatic and Consular Programs
$5 million for public diplomacy and international
information programs and support related to Central American
migration issues.
State and OIP Economic Support Fund
$295 million for the repatriation and
reintegration of migrants to countries in Central America and
to address the root causes of migration from these countries.
General Provisions
Proposes to limit the authority of agencies
appropriated funds under DHS to reprogram appropriations within
an account and to transfer up to 30 percent between
appropriations accounts with notification;
Proposes authority to transfer up to $250 million
between appropriations made available in this Act for the
humanitarian situation at the border; and
Proposes adjustment to the discretionary spending
limits for wildfire suppression operations.
Recommendation
I carefully reviewed this request and am satisfied that it
is necessary at this time. Without supplemental funding, absent
undertaking extraordinary measures, agencies will not have
sufficient resources to adequately address this situation. HHS
will be unable to address the influx of children by securing
sufficient shelter capacity with the number of children held at
Border Patrol stations continuing to increase, for longer
periods of time. Going forward, HHS will be unable to set-up
more stable, cost-effective arrangements for these children,
Border Patrol agents will have to be re-assigned to child care
duties from their border security work, and ICE will lack the
resources needed to sufficiently expand detention and removal
capacity for adults with children who cross the border
illegally. In addition, without additional funds, DOJ will be
unable to keep pace with its growing caseload, leading to
longer wait times for those cases already on the docket. And
absent dedicated resources in Central American countries, we
will not make progress on the larger drivers of this
humanitarian crisis.
Therefore, I join the heads of the affected departments and
agencies in recommending you transmit the proposals to the
Congress.
Sincerely,
Brian Deese,
Acting Director.
Enclosures.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Forest Service
WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT
For an additional amount for ``Wildland Fire Management''
to cover necessary expenses for wildfire suppression and
emergency rehabilitation activities of the Forest Service,
$615,000,000, to remain available until expended: Provided,
That such amount is designated by the Congress as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended:
Provided further, That such amount shall be available only if
the President designates such amount as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A).
This proposal would provide the Department of Agriculture
an additional $615 million for the Forest Service Wildland Fire
Management account in FY 2014. The latest Federal Land
Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act projection of fire
suppression costs at the 90 percent confidence interval shows
an upper-bound of $1.61 billion. When compared to the current
appropriations level of $995 million, an additional $615
million is needed to cover potential suppression costs and
avoid the need for destabilizing transfers from other forest
health and resilience activities. Any unused balances in FY
2014 would remain available to cover wildfire suppression and
emergency rehabilitation activities in future severe fire
seasons.
Without this additional funding, should suppression costs
meet currently estimated levels, the Department of Agriculture
would once again have to transfer fluids from other areas--such
as brush disposal and hazardous fuels treatment, bridge, road
and trail maintenance; capital construction; recreation;
visitor safety projects; and timber sales--all of which are
important not only for better fire management, but also for the
local economies in and around Federal lands. This would also
serve to perpetuate the cycle that has occurred in recent
years, whereby agencies have had to delay or cancel investments
in long-term priorities that can improve forest health and fire
preparedness in order to meet short-term fire suppression
needs.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Administration for Children and Families
REFUGEE AND ENTRANT ASSISTANCE
For an additional amount for ``Refugee and Entrant
Assistance'', $1,830,000,000, to be merged with and available
for the same period and purposes as funds appropriated in
Public Law 113-76 ``for carrying out such sections 414, 501,
462, and 235'': Provided, That funds appropriated under this
heading may also be used for other medical response expenses of
the Department of Health and Human Services in assisting
individuals identified under subsection (b) of such section 235
and for acquisition, construction, improvement, repair,
operation, and maintenance of real property and facilities:
Provided further, That, the Secretary may, in this fiscal year
and hereafter, accept and use money, funds, property, and
services of any kind made available by gift, devise bequest,
grant, or other donation for carrying out such sections:
Provided further, That funds appropriated under this heading
for medical response expenses may be transferred to and merged
with the ``Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund'':
Provided further, That such transfer authority is subject to
the regular notification procedures of the Committees on
Appropriations: Provided further, That such amount is
designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant
to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended: Provided further, That
such amount shall be available only if the President designates
such amount as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A).
This proposal would provide an additional $1.8 billion for
the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide
the appropriate care for unaccompanied children, consistent
with Federal law, while maintaining services for refugees. The
number of unaccompanied children apprehended while crossing the
southwest border of the United States without authorization has
increased substantially, resulting in an urgent humanitarian
situation and straining the resources of the Departments of
Homeland Security and HHS. With these funds, HHS could bring on
additional capacity and put in place more stable, cost-
effective arrangements. The proposal would also fund the
necessary medical response for unaccompanied children in Border
Patrol facilities. This proposal would also provide the
Secretary of HHS with the authority to accept gifts and acquire
property for purposes of carrying out responsibilities related
to the care and custody of unaccompanied children.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' to
cover necessary expenses to respond to the significant rise in
unaccompanied children and adults with children at the
southwest border and related activities, and for the necessary
expenses for enforcement of immigration and customs law,
detention and removals of adults with children crossing the
border unlawfully, and investigations $1,103,995,000, to remain
available until September 30, 2015: Provided, That such amount
is designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended: Provided
further, That such amount shall be available only if the
President designates such amount as an emergency requirement
pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A).
This proposal would provide the Department of Homeland
Security a total of $1.1 billion for Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE). Of this total, $879 million would pay for
detention and removal of apprehended undocumented adults
traveling with children, expansion of alternatives to detention
programs for these individuals, and additional prosecution
capacity for adults with children who cross the border
unlawfully; $116 million would pay for transportation costs
associated with the significant rise in apprehensions of
unaccompanied children; and $109 million would provide for
immigration and customs enforcement efforts, including
expanding the Border Enforcement Security Task Force program,
doubling the size of vetted units in El Salvador, Guatemala,
and Honduras, and expanding investigatory activities by ICE
Homeland Security Investigations.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
SALARIES AND EXPENSES
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses'' to
cover necessary expenses to respond to the significant rise in
unaccompanied children and adults with children at the
southwest border and related activities, including the
acquisition, construction, improvement, repair, and management
of facilities, and for necessary expenses related to border
security, $393,549,000, to remain available until September 30,
2015: Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985,
as amended: Provided further, That such amount shall be
available only if the President designates such amount as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A).
This proposal would provide the Department of Homeland
Security a total of $393 million for Customs and Border
Protection (CBP). Of this total, $364 million would pay for
operational costs of responding to the significant rise in
apprehensions of unaccompanied children and families, including
overtime and temporary duty costs for Border Patrol agents,
contract services and facility costs to care for children while
in CBP custody, and medical and transportation service
arrangements; and $29 million for CBP to expand its role in
Border Enforcement Security Task Force programs, increasing
information-sharing and collaboration among the participating
law enforcement agencies combatting transnational crime.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
AIR AND MARINE INTERDICTION, OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE, AND PROCUREMENT
For an additional amount for ``Air and Marine Interdiction,
Operations, Maintenance, and Procurement'' to cover necessary
expenses to respond to the significant rise in unaccompanied
children and adults with children at the southwest border and
related activities, $39,411,000, to remain available until
September 30, 2015: Provided, That such amount is designated by
the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985, as amended: Provided further, That such
amount shall be available only if the President designates such
amount as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A).
This proposal would provide the Department of Homeland
Security $39.4 million for Customs and Border Protection to
increase air surveillance capabilities in response to the
significant rise in apprehensions of unaccompanied children.
The funding would support 16,526 additional flight hours above
the level requested in the President's FY 2015 Budget for
border surveillance and 16 additional crews for unmanned aerial
systems to improve the detection and interdiction of illegal
activity at the border.
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. __. (a) None of the funds provided by this title shall
be available for obligation or expenditure through a
reprogramming of funds that proposes to use funds directed for
a specific activity by either of the Committees on
Appropriations of the Senate or the House of Representatives
for a different purpose unless the Committees on Appropriations
of the Senate and the House of Representatives are notified 15
days in advance of such reprogramming of funds.
(b) Not to exceed 30 percent of any appropriation made
available by this title may be transferred between such
appropriations, but no such appropriation, except as otherwise
specifically provided, shall be increased by more than 50
percent by such transfers: Provided, That any transfer under
this section shall be treated as a reprogramming of funds under
subsection (a) and shall not be available for obligation unless
the Committees on Appropriations of the Senate and the House of
Representatives are notified 15 days in advance of such
transfer.
This proposal would limit the authority of agencies
appropriated funds under this title to reprogram appropriations
within an account, and would provide the authority to transfer
up to 30 percent between appropriations accounts with 15-day
advance notification to the Committees.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
General Administration
ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW AND APPEALS
For an additional amount for ``Administrative Review and
Appeals'' to cover necessary expenses to respond to the
significant rise in unaccompanied children and adults with
children at the southwest border and related activities,
$62,900,000, to remain available until September 30, 2015:
Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the
Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985, as
amended: Provided further, That such amount shall be available
only if the President designates such amount as an emergency
requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A).
This proposal would provide the Department of Justice a
total of $62.9 million for Administrative Review and Appeals.
Of the total, $45.4 million would be to hire approximately 40
additional immigration judges and support teams, including
those anticipated to be hired on a temporary basis. This
funding would also expand courtroom capacity including
additional video conferencing and other equipment in support of
the additional immigration judge teams. These additional
resources, when combined with the FY 2015 Budget request for 35
additional teams would provide sufficient capacity to process
an additional 55,000 to 75,000 cases annually.
This proposal would provide $2.5 million to expand the
legal orientation program that provides direct assistance to
adults and custodians of children in the immigration court
system and $15.0 million to provide direct legal representation
services to children in immigration proceedings. These programs
and services have been found to increase appearance rates in
immigration proceedings and reduce the length of time it takes
to adjudicate cases.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Legal Activities and U.S. Marshals
SALARIES AND EXPENSES, GENERAL LEGAL ACTIVITIES
For an additional amount for ``Salaries and Expenses,
General Legal Activities'' to cover necessary expenses to
respond to the significant rise in unaccompanied children and
adults with children at the southwest border and related
activities $1,100,000, to remain available until September 30,
2015: Provided, That such amount is designated by the Congress
as an emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A) of
the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985,
as amended: Provided further, That such amount shall be
available only if the President designates such amount as an
emergency requirement pursuant to section 251(b)(2)(A).
This proposal would provide the Department of Justice $1.1
million to hire additional immigration litigation attorneys to
support Federal agencies involved in detainee admission,
regulation, and removal actions.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
Administration of Foreign Affairs
DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR PROGRAMS
For an additional amount for ``Diplomatic and Consular
Programs'', $5,000,000, to remain available until September 30,
2015, which may be made available for public diplomacy and
international information programs and support related to
Central American migration issues: Provided That such amount is
designated by the Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant
to section 251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency
Deficit Control Act of 1985, as amended: Provided further, That
such amount shall be available only if the President designates
such amount as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A).
This proposal would provide an additional $5 million under
Department of State and Other International Programs to support
State Department media campaigns in Mexico, Guatemala, El
Salvador, and Honduras, targeting potential migrants and their
families. The campaigns will emphasize the dangers of the
journey, deliver the message that unaccompanied children are
not given a permit to stay in the United States, and highlight
a shared community responsibility for the welfare of
unaccompanied children. Activities will include media tours,
press interviews, and all media relations as well as
programmatic oversight. Funds would also support youth programs
to develop skills and leadership among potential migrants.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS
International Security Assistance
ECONOMIC SUPPORT FUND
For an additional amount for ``Economic Support Fund'',
$295,000,000, to remain available until September 30, 2015, for
necessary expenses related to the repatriation and
reintegration of migrants (including unaccompanied children and
adults traveling with children) to countries in Central
America, to address the root causes of migration from countries
in Central America, and to help the countries of Central
America build capacity to better control their borders,
notwithstanding any other provision of law: Provided, That
assistance under this heading may also be provided for transit
countries assisting in repatriation efforts: Provided further
That the Department of State and the United States Agency for
International Development shall develop metrics related to
repatriation and reintegration of migrants to measure progress
and assess cooperation by recipient governments in Central
America, and that continued funding beyond initial assistance
for addressing repatriation and reintegration efforts may be
contingent on cooperation by Central American governments on
progress against such metrics: Provided further That funds
appropriated in this paragraph may be transferred to funds made
available under the headings ``Complex Crises Fund'' and
``International Narcotics Control and Law Enforcement'' in
Titles III and IV of acts making appropriations for the
Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs,
and may be further transferred under relevant authorities:
Provided further, That such transfer authority is in addition
to any other transfer authority provided by this or any other
Act: Provided further, That such amount is designated by the
Congress as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit
Control Act of 1985, as amended: Provided further, That such
amount shall be available only if the President designates such
amount as an emergency requirement pursuant to section
251(b)(2)(A).
This proposal would provide an additional $295 million to
support efforts to repatriate and reintegrate migrants to
Central America, to help the governments in the region better
control their borders, and to address the underlying root
causes driving migration, i.e. creating the economic, social,
governance, and citizen security conditions to address factors
that are contributing to significant increases in migration to
the United States.
Funding will be used to increase the capacity of Central
American governments to receive and reintegrate repatriated
migrants. For example, funding will expand existing
repatriation centers in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras,
and provide associated training to immigration officials. As
appropriate, assistance will facilitate transportation and the
rapid and humane processing of migrants in country. In
addition, funding may expand the capacity of governments and
NGOs to provide services for returned migrants. Reintegration
assistance will focus broadly on building the capacity of
national governments, local officials, and civil society actors
to develop sustainable community networks and cross-referral
systems and identify those most at risk of returning to the
United States.
Reception assistance will also aim to build the capacity of
countries of origin to implement the voluntary Regional
Guidelines for the Attention of Unaccompanied Children that
were endorsed by the member countries of the Regional
Conference on Migration in 2009. Assistance could be provided
to foreign countries in the region, countries that have
detained migrants transiting their territory before they enter
the United States and that seek assistance in repatriating
those migrants to their country of origin.
Funding will also be provided to address the underlying
root causes of migration. This will help countries in the
region address the economic, social, governance, and
institutional factors that contribute to out-migration
including endemic poverty, lack of educational, vocational, and
employment opportunities, and high rates of criminal gang
activity, other violent crime, and narcotics and human
trafficking. For example, assistance may be used to support
expanded law enforcement capacity and capabilities, building on
and expanding efforts to improve citizen security; to promote
economic growth and jobs, e.g. through small business
development, vocational training, and to support rural farm
incomes; or for programs that target at-risk youths to reduce
the influence of gangs. In addition, assistance will be used to
help countries in the region build their capacity to control
their borders. This could include training or equipment to
improve customs and border control to stem illicit migration
while improving the flow of licit goods and trade across
borders.
To allow a whole-of-government approach and to allow funds
to be implemented by the most appropriate agency, this language
uses existing transfer authorities to allow State and USAID to
transfer funds as necessary to other agencies (e.g. the
Department of Justice, Millennium Challenge Corporation).
To improve the alignment of interests between the United
States and partner governments in Central America, State and
USAID will devise metrics to measure progress on repatriation
and reintegration efforts, and will regularly assess
cooperation by recipient governments in Central America and
progress against these metrics and factor the results into
decisions on continuing repatriation and reintegration
assistance funding.
GENERAL PROVISIONS--THIS ACT
SEC. __. TRANSFER AUTHORITY.
Not to exceed $250,000,000 of any appropriation made
available in this Act may be transferred between such
appropriations (excluding the appropriation for ``Wildland Fire
Management''): Provided, That the Committees on Appropriations
of the Senate and the House of Representatives are notified 15
days in advance of any such transfer by the head of the
transferor agency.
SEC. __. WILDFIRE DISASTER FUNDING AUTHORITY.
(a) In General.--Section 251(b)(2) of the Balanced Budget
and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C. 901(b)(2))
is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(E) FLAME wildfire suppression.--
``(i) If a bill or joint resolution
making appropriations for a fiscal year
is enacted that specifies an amount for
wildfire suppression operations in the
Wildland Fire Management accounts at
the Department of Agriculture or the
Department of the Interior, then the
adjustments for that fiscal year shall
be the amount of additional new budget
authority provided in that Act for
wildfire suppression operations for
that fiscal year, but shall not
exceed--
``(I) for fiscal year 2015,
$1,410,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
``(II) for fiscal year 2016,
$1,460,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
``(III) for fiscal year 2017,
$1,557,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
``(IV) for fiscal year 2018,
$1,778,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
``(V) for fiscal year 2019,
$2,030,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
``(VI) for fiscal year 2020,
$2,319,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
``(VII) for fiscal year 2021,
$2,650,000,000 in additional
new budget authority;
``(VIII) for fiscal year
2022, $2,690,000,000, in
additional new budget
authority;
``(IX) for fiscal year 2023,
$2,690,000,000, in additional
new budget authority; and
``(X) for fiscal year 2024,
$2,690,000,000, in additional
new budget authority.
``(ii) As used in this subparagraph--
``(I) the term `additional
new budget authority' means the
amount provided for a fiscal
year, in excess of 70 percent
of the average costs for
wildfire suppression operations
over the previous 10 years, in
an appropriation Act and
specified to pay for the costs
of wildfire suppression
operations; and
``(II) the term `wildfire
suppression operations' means
the emergency and unpredictable
aspects of wildland
firefighting including support,
response, and emergency
stabilization activities; other
emergency management
activities; and funds necessary
to repay any transfers needed
for these costs.
``(iii) The average costs for
wildfire suppression operations over
the previous 10 years shall be
calculated annually and reported in the
President's Budget submission under
section 1105(a) of title 31, United
States Code, for each fiscal year.''.
(b) Disaster Funding.--Section 251(b)(2)(D) of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (2 U.S.C.
901(b)(2)(D)) is amended--
(1) in clause (i)--
(A) in subclause (I), by striking ``and'' and
inserting ``plus'';
(B) in subclause (II), by striking the period
and inserting ``; less''; and
(C) by adding the following:
``(III) the additional new
budget authority provided in an
appropriation Act for wildfire
suppression operations pursuant
to subparagraph (E) for the
preceding fiscal year.''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(v) Beginning in fiscal year 2017
and in subsequent fiscal years, the
calculation of the `average funding
provided for disaster relief over the
previous 10 years' shall include for
each year within that average the
additional new budget authority
provided in an appropriation Act for
wildfire suppression operations
pursuant to subparagraph (E) for the
preceding fiscal year.''.
The Transfer Authority proposal would provide the authority
to transfer up to $250,000,000 between appropriations made
available in this Act with 15-day advance notification to the
Committees. Given the evolving nature of the Government's
response to the surge in arrivals at the southwest border of
unaccompanied children and adults traveling with children, this
authority will permit flexibility in addressing critical
operational needs as they arise.
The Wildfire Disaster Funding Authority provision provides
a new framework for funding fire suppression by creating a cap
adjustment to fund extraordinary fire costs in the same manner
as other disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes. This
proposal does not increase overall discretionary spending, as
the provision reduces the ceiling for the existing disaster
relief cap adjustment by an equivalent amount. Fire is a
natural occurrence that can be highly beneficial to landscapes
when managed properly; however, population growth near forests
and rangelands, past management practices, and a changing
climate have dramatically increased wildfire risk and resulting
costs. Since appropriated suppression funds in most years have
not been adequate to cover suppression costs, the Departments
of Agriculture and the Interior have relied on damaging funding
transfers that reduce land management and other preparedness
activities designed to reduce the impact of wildland fires in
the future. This situation calls for a fundamental change in
how wildfire suppression is funded to help reduce fire risk,
manage landscapes more holistically, and increase the
resiliency of the Nation's forests and rangelands and the
communities that border them.