Negotiations over FY 2007 DHS approps
Two stories in GovExec yesterday focus on the state of negotiations between the House and Senate over FY 2007 appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security. The first story concerns a fight over the inclusion of drug reimportation language in the bill, a battle that pits the pharmaceutical industry against the AARP. The second story discusses negotiations over the inclusion of $1.8 billion in additional funding for border security in the bill, funding that had earlier been included in the Defense appropriations bill (as I detailed in this post in early August) but has now been shifted to DHS appropriations. The story highlights disputes over whether this money should be allocated solely toward border fencing and vehicle barriers, or instead partially allocated to other accounts related to border security, interior enforcement, and Coast Guard operations.