Obama Freezing Funding For VSP In 2011 Budget

Nine years after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks and four months after the attempted Christmas Day bombing of Northwest Flight 253 over Detroit  only 14 of the 57 U.S. consulates identified as being at “high risk” for potentially providing visas to terrorists have been furnished with units of the Department of Homeland Security’s Visa Security Program (VSP).  Barack Hussein Obama is planning to freeze the program’s budget for fiscal 2011.

The VSP, established by the Homeland Security Act of 2002, puts Department of Homeland Security officials in the field at U.S. consulates to vet the backgrounds of people applying for U.S. visas. DHS uses a broader range of databases than the State Department to review the backgrounds of visa applicants. Also, many policymakers believe DHS officials tend to be more security-minded than State Department consular officers when reviewing visa applications.

“The Obama administration is requesting that the VSP be funded at the same level in FY 2011 as Congress’ funding in FY 2010--$30.7 million,” says the report. “The modest size of VSP with 67 full-time equivalent staff has led some to question how many VSP units DHS will be able to realistically staff.”

The Secure Visas Act (HR 4758), introduced in March by Representative Lamar Smith (R-TX), would allocate $60 million to the program for fiscal 2010 and another $60 million for fiscal 2011 for placing VSP units in the 15 “highest risk” consulates beyond the 14 that already have units in place. That bill would approximately double the funding the Obama administration has allocated for the program in fiscal 2010 and fiscal 2011.

“The visa security process is our first line of defense against terrorists and others who wish to do us harm,” Smith, the lead sponsor of the Secure Visas Act, said. “But under President Obama, new Visa Security Units ground to a halt.”

 “If the Obama administration will not exercise its authority to develop new VSUs (Visa Security Units) at the highest risk posts identified by its own Department of Homeland Security, Congress must step in,” said Smith.

Senator Joe Lieberman (I-CN), chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said he believes the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department have not made making sure terrorist do not get visas a priority.

Obama and his administration aren’t making America safer.  Daily they make America less safe.

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