OPPOSITION TO PROPOSED FUNDING CUTS IN FEDERAL HOMELAND SECURITY PROGRAMS
WHEREAS, in the days following the attacks of
September 11, 2001, The U.S. Conference of Mayors called for a federal block
grant that would provide homeland security funding directly to cities to help
meet local needs for police and fire overtime, personnel training,
communications and rescue equipment, and security measures to protect airports,
ports, utilities, public transit, and other critical infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, nearly a year-and-a-half later the Congress
enacted appropriations bills that funded several state and local homeland
security programs, establishing the First Responder Grant program and providing
more than $2 billion through the State Domestic Preparedness and Federal First
Responder/Critical Infrastructure programs; and
WHEREAS, for the current fiscal year, Congress has
provided $1.7 billion for First Responder Grants and $500 million for Homeland
Security Law Enforcement grants; and
WHEREAS, in his FY 2005 budget submission the
President proposed to reduce funding for First Responder grants by $1 billion,
to $700 million, and to fund at the same level, $500 million, Homeland Security
Law Enforcement grants; and
WHEREAS, homeland security appropriations are
currently under consideration in both the House and the Senate; and
WHEREAS, several recent reports, the most recent being
The U.S. Conference of Mayors Interoperability Survey, have documented the
continuing critical need for federal funding to support our first responders,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that The U.S.
Conference of Mayors opposes cuts in federal homeland security assistance; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Conference of
Mayors calls on Congress to provide a funding level for federal first responder
programs that does not drop below the level provided for the current fiscal
year.
©2004 U.S. Conference of Mayors 