The proposed fiscal 2010 budget for the U.S. Homeland Security Department does not include new funding for advanced nuclear and radiological material detection technology, the Washington Post reported yesterday (see GSN, Feb. 26).
(May. 8) -
The Obama administration requested no new funds yesterday for deploying Advanced Spectroscopic Portal monitors, like the one shown above, or certain other radiation detection equipment (White House photo).
The Obama administration did not request additional funds to support efforts to outfit U.S. points of entry with Advanced Spectroscopic Portal monitors and Cargo Advanced Automated Radiography Systems. The move comes amid continued questions about the efficacy of the technology (see GSN, Oct. 30, 2008).
Former President George W. Bush heavily advocated for new antiterrorism technology, and last year allocated $153 million for equipment purchases by Homeland Security's Domestic Nuclear Detection Office. Obama's budget proposes to let that fund run dry.
"In 2010, unspent funds will be drawn down as [Homeland Security] transitions to a different model to fund the purchases of radiation detection equipment within the department in future budgets," according to a budget document. A Homeland Security official said it was "prudent to take pause" and address technical flaws associated with the project.
The $90 million Securing the Cities pilot program, which used New York City to determine whether a network of hand-held, aerial, mobile, and waterborne sensors could effectively protect a city from the threat of nuclear terrorism -- would also see its funding reduced to nothing.
"This is the end of the program as far as requesting new funds," said one Homeland Security official.
Some observers believe that a "goal-line defense" is an inferior strategy to securing nuclear material at its place of origin, developing a broad counterproliferation program and preparing emergency responders for a disaster, the Post reported.
"My concern is ... deploying systems that have not been proven technically to be effective, and before we have the means to make them operational," said Randall Larsen, director of a congressional WMD commission.
"What do you do when the alarm goes off?" he added: "What's the strategy behind what we're trying to do?" (Spencer Hsu, Washington Post, May 7).
The Homeland Security Department is seeking $55.1 billion for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. The emphasis would be on counterterrorism, border security disaster preparedness, immigration enforcement and "department unification -- designed to create a leaner, smarter, more effective agency," according to a DHS press release.
Among its various requests, which must be approved by Congress, the agency wants $94.5 million for detection of biological warfare materials (U.S. Homeland Security Department release, May 7).