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Washington, D.C.—President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) today strongly urged members of the House Rules Committee to include in debate on the fiscal 2002 Defense Appropriations Bill a proposed expansion of funds allocated to homeland security “so that sufficient border control personnel can be hired to ensure we can do the job the public wants, expects and needs.” The Committee is voting later today on rules governing the debate.

Kelley said inclusion of the proposal by Rep. David Obey (D-WI), which would increase by some $6.5 billion the $20 billion in emergency spending to be allocated by Congress, “is more in line” with the intent expressed by both the House and Senate in the wake of the September 11 terrorist attacks that Customs Service personnel be tripled along the nation’s northern border, from 1,773 to 5,319.

In a letter to Rep. David Dreir (R-CA), Chairman of the Rules Committee, Kelley said the Obey proposal would add $146.2 million above the $301.8 million allocated in emergency funds for Customs by the House Appropriations Committee and would allow Customs to hire an additional 790 inspectors for the nation’s northern border and 840 additional inspectors for cargo inspection across the country.

“At a time when many Customs personnel are working 12 to 16 hour shifts under heightened Level 1 border security as a result of the tragedy on September 11,” Kelley wrote, “they deserve to have the unwavering

support of Congress.” The NTEU leader added: “Customs personnel simply cannot keep up this current pace without the additional funding and personnel provided by Representative Obey’s amendment.”

Earlier this month, the House Appropriations Committee voted to expand to $301.8 million the $114.2 million directed by the administration to Customs in emergency funding. At that time, an Obey amendment to increase the amount still further, to $448 million, was defeated.

NTEU represents some 12,000 Customs employees, including many who help form the nation’s first line of defense against terrorism. “Everyone understands the need for additional personnel for Customs, particularly at the northern border,” Kelley said, “but without the necessary funding, it simply won’t get done—and the nation will continue to be at serious risk.”

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing some 150,000 employees in 25 agencies and departments.