Rep. Van Epps Questions DHS Sec. Mullin on FY 2027 Budget

June 3, 2026

Rep. Van Epps Questions DHS Sec. Mullin on FY 2027 Budget

Today, Rep. Van Epps (TN-07) participated in a Homeland Security Committee hearing reviewing the FY27 Budget Request for the Department of Homeland Security.

Watch the congressman’s full remarks and questions here.

Rep. Van Epps stated, “Thank you, Chairman Garbarino, for convening this hearing today, and thank you, Secretary Mullin and Deputy Secretary Edgar, for joining us. You both lead one of the most critical components of our entire government. The men and women of the Department of Homeland Security devote every day to keeping Americans safe at home. As a citizen and as a father, thank you for all you do.”

Rep. Van Epps asked about the alignment between DHS and local law enforcement, “There's an opportunity to improve DHS intelligence and analysis, intel sharing with local law enforcement that we have worked on, and you all are leading on, so that intelligence sharing is a two-way street. [Can] you discuss how your plan to consolidate I&A with other offices to report directly to you will affect reporting structures and improve intel sharing, and how it will better enable DHS' relationship with local law enforcement who need actionable intelligence?”

Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullins stated, “Yes, we're trying to expand the 287(g) program to bring I&A in to allow us to work and cooperate. We have a cooperation with [local law enforcement entities] where we reimburse for equipment, for overtime hours, for salaries, and that's from vehicles to drone defense to everything in between, to build to work with them to train them on intelligence gatherings. There's a lot of small municipalities [that] just… [don’t] have the ability to do so. If we're able to give a grant to them, where they can hire somebody full-time, and then we're able to train them, and then... bring them up for training…. That's what we're doing. We have the ability to do it in a small scale. If we can include it in the 287g program, it'd be extremely helpful.”

Rep. Van Epps asked, “...How is DHS working with fusion centers in every state to maximize communication, clarity, and effectiveness? …[M]any... fusion centers are heavily reliant on DHS grants for staffing. How will this budget better support fusion center functions and relationships with DHS components?”

Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Troy Edgar said, “...So it kind of relates to your first question, the way that I&A is set up…we have 88 different fusion centers across the U.S. [that] we insert ourselves into, so we are the key line between the intelligence community and the law enforcement community in the local jurisdiction. So this budget, as you know, is kind of a combination between FY27, what we've asked for at DHS, and FY27, what the ODNI asked for in Title 50 type money, because a lot of stuff that we do is classified. So, the way this is set up, the OSEM [The Office of Secretary and Executive Management] consolidation that you asked about, that actually consolidates I&A. One of the benefits of that that the President put forward is that we'll be able to consolidate the mission [and] support the things that aren't focused on the fusion centers, like CFOs, three CFOs for those different groups, procurement leads, all that. We basically are taking a lot of the back office out of that, and that organization being able to focus it on fusion centers.”

Rep. Van Epps asked, “...Moving on to the Coast Guard, the budget request follows through on transforming the Coast Guard to meet modern needs as the Arctic grows increasingly competitive. The Coast Guard is a critical piece of the U.S. force posture in the region. How does this budget support increased Coast Guard operations in the Arctic? And what else is necessary to ensure a capable and sustained presence in the Arctic?”

Sec. Mullins stated, “Icebreakers are obviously a huge asset that we lack. We have one icebreaker, Russia has 49, [and] the president has made this a focus. Right now, we have 11 under contract. Hopefully, three will be delivered by 2028 and… [be] able to respond to our own cargo ships, be able to respond to our own flagships, and also be able to help surrounding countries is vitally important, but it also allows us to get up to… contested areas… [where] China is fishing in, Russia is exploring in, and in areas they shouldn't be. So the focus that President Trump has put in there by putting $24 billion into realignment and investment with the Coast Guard is extremely important. Keep in mind, the Coast Guard is our first line of defense. Before they make it to our sovereign land, they take care of our coastal waters, and in some areas pushing into the international waters, and the way they've been neglected over the years...or me now being secretary over DHS and over the Coast Guard, I can't tell you how much I appreciate the investment President Trump has made and the focus he's put in there. We recently just came back from...the Academy graduation, that's his second time to go to the Coast Guard graduation and be the commencement speaker. It's just unheard of.”

Deputy Edgar responded, “Specifically to FY27. So, you'll see that the President asked for about another $1.8 billion to actually help with the staffing and some specific to your request to the Arctic, not only for the Arctic cutters but for the people that are needed to go up there. It's really important. We hope that you guys will support the budget. Thank you.”