House Appropriators Approve Funding for 850 CBP Officers and 200 Agriculture Specialists New Hires

SUMMARY:  FY 2021 House DHS Appropriations bill approved by full House Appropriations Committee provides $171 million for CBP new hires at the ports of entry.  Today, the House Appropriations Committee voted to advance a Homeland Security FY 2021 funding bill by a vote of 30 to 22.  The bill provides an increase above the President’s FY 2021 funding request for CBP Office of Field Operations (OFO) of $171 million for 1,150 new positions as follows: 

• $91 million for 850 CBP Officers;  • $10 million for 100 support personnel; and • $30 million for 200 Agriculture Specialists.

NTEU is very pleased that this bill would provide additional funding for CBP OFO staffing and resources that were not included in the administration’s FY 2021 DHS budget request.  The committee-approved bill would also restrict the ability of DHS to move FY 2021 funds from other accounts to fund programs that do not have explicit prior approval by the full committee. 

The Senate has not yet scheduled any FY 2021 spending bills for appropriations committee consideration. 

NTEU strongly supports the House Appropriators’ CBP FY 2021 funding level and will fight to maintain these numbers as House and Senate Appropriators continue working on FY 2021 CBP OFO funding priorities.   Anthony M. Reardon National President