Action Needed! Homeland Security Assistance to Counties At Risk of Being Eliminated in 2012
Action Needed! Homeland Security Assistance to Counties At Risk of Being Eliminated in 2012
Today, Friday, May 13, 2011 at 11am, the House of Representatives Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Homeland Security is scheduled to markup the FY2012 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Bill. The legislation proposes massive reductions in grants, technical assistance and programs important to States, local governments and public safety agencies nationwide. Additionally, the legislation proposes a major change to the current formula for distributing State and local grants; and many counties would presumably be at risk of not receiving any future State and local grant assistance from the DHS.
Specifically, the legislation proposes only $1 billion dollars for DHS Grants, Exercises, and Technical Assistance important to States, local governments and public safety agencies. This is a decrease of $1.2 billion compared to the current year, and the legislation also proposes major reductions in DHS’ Fire Grants ($350 million), FEMA Flood Mapping ($120 million), and PreDisaster Mitigation Grants ($40 million).
Additionally, the legislation proposes a major consolidation of programs important to States, local governments and public safety agencies. Specifically, the legislation proposes combining DHS’ State Homeland Security Grant Program, Urban Area Security Initiative Grant Program, Metropolitan Medical Response System, Citizen Corp Program, Rail and Transit Grants, Intercity Bus Security Grants, Port Security Grants, Interoperable Emergency Communications Grants and DHS/FEMA Training, Technical Assistance and Exercises into one single line item; and awarding future grants to States, local governments and public safety agencies at the discretion of the DHS Secretary.
For many years, Counties have been strongly opposed to any effort to reduce funds to DHS’ State and Local Programs and asserted that a minimum level of preparedness must be provided to all communities.
The Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Homeland Security is scheduled to markup the FY2012 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Appropriations Bill at 11am on Friday, May 13, 2011. The Full Appropriations Committee is expected to markup the legislation next week. Call your Members of Congress today and oppose efforts to eliminate homeland security assistance to counties.
To see the alert and take action, click here.
