House Considers Homeland Security Spending Bill

June 06, 2011

by Mitchel Herckis

As Nation’s Cities Weekly went to press, the U.S. House of Representatives was debating its first spending bill of the year, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2012 (HR 2017). While the spending levels will be subject to bipartisan debate in the Senate and must be signed into law by the President, the current bill would make severe cuts to state and local homeland security programs.

If passed without amendment, it would send a clear signal that the House of Representatives intends to make good on its promises to rein in domestic spending, even if it means less money for first responders.

The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2012 (HR 2017), proposes $2.1 billion in cuts to state and local grant funding from fiscal 2011, and would merge several grant programs into a $1 billion pot. It would also grant the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security the option to distribute funds for the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSP) and Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program at his or her discretion rather than under the current formula.

The cuts also include a proposal to shrink a firefighter equipment grant program to $200 million and a firefighter staffing program to $150 million. Each received $405 million in fiscal 2011.

The spending bill would also limit the number of eligible UASI cities to 10. UASI cities were reduced this year from 64 to 31 after DHS received a $780 million cut between 2010 and 2011. Whether or not the specific limit on the number of cities stands, the additional cuts will mean a decrease in the number of eligible cities.

In a Statement of Administration Policy, the White House expressed its opposition to the cuts in state and local programs, explaining that, “the bill provides insufficient funding for a number of programs in a way that undermines core government functions and investments key to economic growth and job creation.”

The statement asserts that the reduction to the firefighter staffing program alone would eliminate 2,200 positions paid for by the initiatives.

NLC is working in concert with allies to save these critical programs. On May 23, Executive Director Donald J. Borut sent a letter to the House Appropriations Committee urging it to maintain the current structure of state and local homeland security programs and preserve funding for homeland security grant programs.

“For almost 10 years these programs have been at the core of our nation’s emergency preparedness system and ensure an integrated, capable response to disasters by all levels of government,” Borut explained in the letter. “They have, quite simply, provided first responders with the tools and training necessary to thwart terror plots and respond to other emergencies that threaten our nation’s safety and security.”

Several members of Congress intend to propose amendments to the bill on the floor, including restoring money for firefighter programs and restoring funding for other key grant programs.