Homeland Security Bill includes major wins for Alaska

Homeland Security Bill includes major wins for Alaska

Washington, DC-U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) secured a wide range of Alaska priorities and policy wins in the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Murkowski worked to advance a balanced Homeland Security funding bill that prioritizes disaster response, maritime safety, border security, and robust congressional oversight, while ensuring accountability across the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The bill provides $90.8 billion for DHS, an increase from FY25, including funding for the Coast Guard, disaster preparedness, cybersecurity, law enforcement training, and border operations.

FY26 Homeland Security Appropriations Highlights

Supporting Alaska's Coast Guard and Maritime Infrastructure
The U.S. Coast Guard plays a critical role in Alaska-conducting search and rescue, enforcing fisheries laws, maintaining maritime safety, and projecting U.S. presence in the Arctic. Senator Murkowski prioritized investments to modernize Coast Guard infrastructure and strengthen Arctic capabilities.

Key Coast Guard investments include:

• $13.9 billion for the Coast Guard overall
• $30 million for acquisition of an aircraft hangar in St. Paul, Alaska
• $43.5 million for the third Polar Security Cutter (PSC)
• $160 million to prepare for the PSC homeport project in Seattle
• $30.7 million for Coast Guard housing in Alaska, which will help support capacity for the homeporting of new icebreakers in Alaska

The accompanying report language strengthens oversight of major Coast Guard acquisitions, directs improved planning for shoreside infrastructure projects, and requires regular congressional briefings on Polar Security Cutter progress and Arctic operations.

Investing in Disaster Response and Emergency Preparedness

Given Alaska's exposure to earthquakes, floods, wildfires, and severe storms, Senator Murkowski focused on ensuring strong disaster response capacity nationwide.

The bill includes:

• $26.4 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund
• $48 million for the Next Generation Warning System
• $324 million each for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and SAFER programs
• $337.3 million for emergency management performance grants supporting FEMA and the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program
• $226 million for the National Flood Insurance Fund

Report language also directs FEMA to review access to AFG and SAFER grants for rural and volunteer fire departments-an important issue for Alaska's remote communities.

Enhancing Northern Border Security and DHS Oversight

Senator Murkowski secured extensive report language focused on Northern border security, ensuring DHS appropriately resources ports of entry and operations along the U.S.-Canada border. The bill requires regular briefings to Congress on staffing, technology investments, telecommunications challenges, and any changes to port operations, and directs DHS to notify Congress before diverting significant personnel to the Southwest border.

Additional oversight provisions strengthen transparency and accountability across DHS, including:

• Restrictions on reprogramming funds without committee notification
• Protections for congressional access to DHS detention facilities
• Prohibitions on implementing a national identification card
• Buy American Act compliance requirements
• Safeguards against large-scale pay or classification changes without approval

Promoting Accountability in Immigration and Law Enforcement Operations

The bill includes several provisions aimed at increasing transparency and public trust in DHS enforcement activities.

These include:

• $20 million for body-worn cameras for ICE agents and officers, with reporting requirements for any changes to agency policy
• Monthly briefings to Congress on large-scale law enforcement or immigration enforcement operations
• Reporting requirements on ICE removal decisions, removal flights, and wrongful removals
• Direction to ensure DHS agents and officers are clearly identifiable during domestic operations
• Training requirements affirming the public's right to record DHS law enforcement activity

Improving Access to Immigration Services and Workforce Reporting

To address persistent service gaps and workforce challenges-particularly in non-contiguous states-the bill includes targeted reporting and transparency requirements.

Notable provisions include:

• Direction to USCIS to report on the feasibility of collecting biometrics at CBP locations in remote areas where USCIS offices are inaccessible, including Southeast Alaska
• A requirement for USCIS to publicly report Employment Authorization Document backlog statistics on a quarterly basis, alongside $10 million to address processing delays
• A DHS report on hiring and retention challenges in rural and non-contiguous states, including impacts on Alaska Native communities
• A report on the economic impact of the H-2B visa program and unmet workforce demand

In addition to programmatic funding to help Alaskans, Murkowski secured congressionally directed investments for four Alaska communities through FEMA's Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program-projects that were requested and prioritized by local governments and Tribal entities to reduce risk and protect lives and infrastructure:

• Juneau: $1.5 million for the City and Borough of Juneau to protect infrastructure from annual flooding out of Suicide Basin, a glacial lake attached Mendenhall Glacier

• Klukwan: $1.234 million for the Chilkat Indian Village to advance the Klukwan Landslide Protection Project, improving slope stability and safeguarding the community from landslide risks.
  
  
• Matanuska-Susitna Borough: $2 million for the Mat-Su Borough to complete revetment and road upgrades, strengthening flood protection and improving the resilience of essential transportation infrastructure.
  
  
• Saint Paul: $375,000 for the City of Saint Paul to support planning and design of salt lagoon and community pond flood mitigation improvements, helping protect critical infrastructure from coastal flooding.

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