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Washington — The leader of the union representing thousands of employees who protect the nation’s ports of entry today reacted sharply to White House proposals to repeal the newly-enacted—and long-overdue—enhanced retirement benefit for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers, and to eliminate $50 million in funding from the current budget.

Congressional authorization and funding for this vital program both were included in the fiscal 2008 omnibus appropriations bill, signed by the president in late December.

“This is an outrageous attempt to undercut the bipartisan will of Congress,” said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). The union led the years-long fight for Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) status and the enhanced retirement benefit. “There can be no longer any real debate over the importance of LEO status and enhanced retirement benefits to the successful accomplishment of this agency’s mission,” Kelley said.

Just last Friday, key House and Senate lawmakers reiterated their strong support for the program. They expressed that support—as well as calling for the inclusion of additional funding for the program in the fiscal 2009 budget submission made public today—in a letter to Jim Nussle, director of the Office of Management and Budget.

“On a daily basis,” they wrote, “CBP Officers perform as front-line law enforcement officers in support of our homeland security mission that is critical to our nation’s security. These enhanced retirement benefits were enacted with the bipartisan and bicameral support of Congress and will greatly aid CBP’s continued recruitment and retention of the best and brightest CBP Officers, build a vigorous workforce for the future, and enhance vital border security at our nation’s ports of entry.”

The letter was signed by Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Peter King (R-N.Y.), chairman and ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Senators Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

President Kelley said she welcomes the support—from across the political spectrum—reflected in the letter and promised to work to defeat any efforts to repeal the LEO program or eliminate its funding. The LEO program becomes effective on July 6.

The NTEU leader also attacked an administration proposal to drop the ban on use by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of appropriated funds in fiscal 2008 to implement any portion of its much-maligned regressive personnel system. Such a ban also is contained in the omnibus measure. Key segments were enjoined as a result of a successful NTEU federal court suit.

“CBP and its parent, DHS, are faced with a litany of well-known, highly-visible problems,” the NTEU leader said. “This administration needs to be taking positive steps for these agencies and their employees, and full funding for the enhanced retirement program is one of the most important. Backing away from an unworkable personnel system is another.”

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments, including some 22,000 in CBP.