EMERGENCY SPENDING BILL AIDS CUSTOMS, COAST GUARD OPERATIONS

EMERGENCY SPENDING BILL AIDS CUSTOMS, COAST GUARD OPERATIONS    President Bush signed a $78.5-billion supplemental spending bill Wednesday that, in addition to funding military activity and reconstruction in Iraq, includes $3.9 billion for the Department of Homeland Security and helps U.S. airlines pay for security costs.
   The bill specifically allocates funds for high-priority agencies in Homeland Security including:
   * $333 million for the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection.
   * $228 million for the Coast Guard to support increased border security activities.
   * $38 million for the Coast Guard to conduct port vulnerability assessments.
   * $170 million for the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
   * $20 million from the Transportation Security Administration's $535 billion appropriation for port security grants.
   The bill also provides $25 million to the Maritime Administration for the cost guaranteed loans under the Title XI loan program, but does not alter or amend any existing cargo preference laws.
   Instead of providing Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge a lump sum to spend for unspecified purposes, as the administration requested, Congress tied the money to specific activities.
   The aviation measures in the bill suspend passenger security and air carrier security fees from June 1 through Sept. 30, provide $2.4 billion in grants to reimburse airlines for security fees paid to the Transportation Security Administration and $100 million to reimburse carriers for the direct costs of hardening cockpit doors. The bill also extends the War Risk Insurance Program.