Bill > S272

This bill, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2015, provides funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2015, and outlines specific rules for how these funds can be used. It allocates money to various DHS components, including U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the U.S. Secret Service, among others. A key provision requires that funds are generally available only for the current fiscal year unless explicitly stated otherwise, and it sets strict limitations on "reprogramming," which is the process of shifting funds between different programs or activities. These reprogramming rules prevent the creation of new programs, elimination of existing ones, or using funds for purposes Congress has restricted, and generally require advance notification to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees for significant fund shifts. The bill also addresses specific operational matters, such as the use of the DHS Working Capital Fund, requirements for contract award fees, restrictions on certain types of grants and procurements, and rules regarding the transfer of funds for financial systems modernization and for the care of unaccompanied alien children. Finally, it rescinds certain previously appropriated funds from various DHS accounts.