Omaha City Wire

Bacon Provides More Details on Biden Zeroing Out Bomb Sniffing Program

Biden Zeroed Out Program in FY’24 Budget Request

Washington – Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) is hearing more from law enforcement in Douglas County and Omaha about a crucial program for them being zeroed out by President Bien in his budget request- The Canine Reimbursement Program, which provides funds for local law enforcement agencies to partner with TSA to train their bomb-sniffing dogs and handlers.

While the training would still be supported by TSA, the individual law enforcement agencies would provide the funding and would have to leave one of two dogs with the TSA, that they would be required to send down to be trained.  Previously, the TSA would provide $50,500 per dog team for personnel costs and equipment. With four dog teams, the Omaha Police Department would receive $202,000 per year. 

“The Omaha Police Department has four canine teams, and they assist other agencies in the region, having gone to Sioux City and Plattsmouth, and assisting at multiple Nebraska football games in Lincoln,” said Bacon. “Make no mistake - this is defunding of law enforcement.”

Bacon’s Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee request for fiscal year 2024 includes $34 million for the program, which would keep it at its current fiscal year 2023 funding. 

“I’m just flabbergasted that President Biden zeroed out a program that provides invaluable training to our law enforcement in the area of protecting our community from a small- or large-scale bomb attack,” said Bacon. “This is really in contrast with his lip service of supporting our law enforcement agencies.”

Original source can be found here