Government Shutdown Prevented, House Passes Full-Year Continuing Resolution
Chairman Carter and House also pass 10-year balanced budget

Chairman John Carter (R-TX31) and fellow U.S. House of Representatives members today approved H.R. 933, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2013, which provides funding to keep the government running until September 30, 2013- the end of the 2013 fiscal year.   The current continuing resolution expires on March 27.

“Today we provided the funding necessary for agencies to continue essential operations through the end of Fiscal Year 2013, and passed a blueprint to balance our federal budget in ten years with no tax increases,” says Carter.  “These votes today should provide the American people with confidence that the House is moving decisively to address the nation’s long-standing deficit spending with responsible, commonsense fiscal reforms.   “I am pleased that we have now cleared the way for further spending reductions as we pivot to the FY2014 Appropriations process. “    

In addition to continuing most departments and agencies at the FY2012 level, the full-year continuing resolution provides full-year funding for five Appropriations bills- Agriculture, Commerce, Justice and Science, Defense, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security.

Carter, Chairman of the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, had oversight for the Homeland Security portion of the legislation.  “This CR will provide critical support to our law enforcement and national security as well as protecting our borders,” said Carter.

The legislation includes a net discretionary total of $39.6 billion in funding for the Department of Homeland Security for FY 13 and will prioritize frontline security operations, including cyber security, law enforcement personnel and intelligence activities. It will also help continue funding specific operations, including: 

• Counterterrorism, by sustaining funding levels for vital “watch listing” and threat identification.
• Immigration Enforcement, by continuing the statutory mandate for ICE to maintain no less than 34,000 detention beds. It also increases funding for investigations and Alternatives to Detention.
• USCIS, by fully funding E-Verify.
• Frontline Staffing, by sustaining record-high staffing levels of the Border Patrol, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Field Operations, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It will also continue the statutory mandate requiring CBP to maintain no less than 21,370 Border Patrol agents, restore proposed cuts to Coast Guard military personnel and sustain Secret Service and other essential security and law enforcement staff.
• Aviation Security, by capping full-time TSA screeners at 46,000 and substantially cuts funding levels for all overhead and administrative functions as well as for Federal Air Marshals (while sustaining coverage of all high-risk flights).
• Science & Technology, by adding $37.5 million for National Bio- and Agro-defense Facility (NBAF) as opposed to no funding proposed by the President and the Senate.  Funds are provided with no restrictions. 
• Fiscal Discipline, by denying the President’s request to create three new, standalone headquarters offices at a cost of more than $9.5 million and denies the President’s request to create a new, controversial Public Advocate position within ICE.

However, the bill does not “bail out” any DHS agencies from the President’s sequester but rather provides them with an updated FY13 budget. When combined with existing reprogramming and transfer authority, most DHS agencies should be able prioritize their funding to adequately fulfill essential mission requirements and comply with statutory mandates.

For the text of H.R. 933, please visit:  http://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20130318/BILLS-113hr933eas.pdf