Obama’s DHS spent nearly $150M on office furniture and makeovers

Funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) -- which is due to expire at the end of this week unless an agreement in Washington is reached -- has continued to rise under President Obama. His administration claims the agency's increased funding is necessary to protect the homeland, but records show that the DHS has continued to increase its spending on furniture and office makeovers as its budget has been increased.

A review of records on the official government spending website by the Washington Free Beacon shows the agency has spent nearly $150 million on office furniture and makeovers since Obama took office. Those fiscal years for which he has been responsible and whose budgets have been enacted are FY2010 through 2014.

"The FY 2015 Budget reflects the Administration's strong commitment to protecting the homeland and the American people through the effective and efficient use of DHS resources, continuing the focus on preserving frontline priorities across the Department by cutting costs, sharing resources across Components, and streamlining operations wherever possible," the administration's request states.

Each year under Obama the administration, DHS funding has increased. The FY 2015 budget request is $60.9 billion, compared with FY 2014's budget of $60.7 billion. In fiscal year 2013, the DHS budget was $59.2 billion. By contrast, President George W. Bush's last budget for DHS for FY 2009 was $52.5 billion.

Records show that the DHS spent $147.7 million on furniture for FY 2010 through 2014.

Examples of some of the contracts reviewed show that $4.1 million was spent for "nationwide field furniture management services contract"; $1.3 million for "systems furniture" for its Laguan Niguel, Calif., location; and $1.1 million for furniture for an office in Vermont.

In fiscal year 2014, the DHS had over 1,300 contracts labeled "office furniture" on the spending website. DHS spent nearly $28 million for furniture in that fiscal year alone.

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