DHS' Trucking Security program would get ax under 2010 budget proposal
The Obama budget proposes to cut the TSP “as it does not allocate awards based on risk assessment.”
The Trucker News Services
5/7/2009
WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security’s Trucking Security Program would be eliminated under President Barack Obama’s FY 2010 budget proposal made public today.
The Obama budget proposes to cut the TSP “as it does not allocate awards based on risk assessment.”
Both the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the DHS’ Office of the Inspector General have questioned the homeland security benefits achieved through the program relative to its costs.
According to the budget information released, 2009 TSP funding was awarded to eligible applicants to implement security improvement measures and policies. The grants were originally intended to assist in the training of personnel to identify and report security threats.
“However, these funds have become focused on the purchase and installation or enhancement of equipment and systems related to tractor and trailer tracking systems, which are investments that private sector grantees should make on their own,” the budget information said.
According to information provided in the budget proposal, the TSP lacks a risk-based methodology in the allocation of grant awards. In 2009, there were few applicants, and the program is carrying forward $5 million of the $8 million appropriated in 2009.
The Obama administration said it believes the TSP program and commercial trucking grants should be evaluated in the context of the risks faced and relative benefits (to be gained by federal investments) across all transportation sectors.
“A recent GAO report states that TSA has yet to seriously address the risk faced in the commercial vehicle,” the budget proposal said. “The OIG at DHS released a report in September of 2008 outlining some of the issues that have plagued the program as well.” The IG could not verify whether the benefits were worth the costs, according to the budget information.
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