Reports traces transport security research dollars.

• Position: Security beat: homeland defense briefs

Billed as a rebuke over the Department of Homeland Security's managerial efforts to foster protective technology, a recent Government Accountability Office report answers an oft-asked question--what is the department spending its research dollars on?

During 2003 and 2004, DHS and the Transportation Security Administration funded more than 200 research and development projects that are designed to develop technology to harden ,all modes of transportation.

In fiscal years 2003 and 2004, TSA spent the bulk of its research and development budgets--81 percent in 2003, and 79 percent in 2004--on aviation security. On the DHS side, aviation security received 71 percent of its 2004 budget. Rail security research received just over $1 million from the TSA in fiscal year 2004, up from the $169,000 in 2003. DHS spent nothing on rail security in either year.

"Several members of an expert panel on transportation security and technology that GAO convened believed the distribution of R&D projects ... was reasonable, while others believed that aviation has been overemphasized at the expense of maritime and land modes," the report said, acknowledging an oft-debated point in homeland defense circles.

Overall, the research budgets of both agencies were significantly increased--from TSA's $21.1 million for 2003 to $159 million in 2004, and DHS' $25.9 million to $88 million for 2004. DHS spent 23 percent of its 2004 budget, or $2 million, on research that could be used in several modes of travel. TSA spent $2.2 million.

The research dollars are not going to basic research projects, GAO reported, and noted "TSA and DHS have not estimated deployment dates for the vast majority of their R&D projects."

The...