Written by David Stegon

The Congressional Budget Office released a report Thursday that reviews the proposed funding for U.S. homeland security in 2013.

“The Proposed Homeland Security Budget for 2013” summarizes the president’s request for 2013 in the context of the strategic goals and missions for homeland security developed since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The report also analyzes how funding for homeland security has changed over time.

According to CBO, the report indicates:

Most of the proposed homeland security funding for 2013 would be allocated to four departments: DHS (52 percent); the Department of Defense (DoD, 26 percent); the Department of Health and Human Services (6 percent), and the Department of Justice (6 percent). The remainder would go to various other departments and agencies.

The vast majority—more than 90 percent—of the President’s request would be directed towards two strategic goals: prevent and disrupt terrorist attacks; and protect the American people, critical infrastructure, and key resources.a

The largest amounts of funding would go to Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement in DHS, and to the budget for military personnel and operations and maintenance in DoD.

Funding for homeland security has dropped somewhat from its 2009 peak of $76 billion, in inflation-adjusted terms; funding for 2012 totaled $68 billion. Nevertheless, the nation is now spending substantially more than what it spent on homeland security in 2001.

CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE: The Proposed Homeland Security Budget for 2013