Bill Could Ultimately Mean More DHS Money for Maryland

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin praised passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of bipartisan legislation that will dramatically improve how the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awards federal grants to states to help them prepare for a future terrorist attack.

Rep. Cardin co-sponsored The Faster and Smarter Funding for First Responders Act, HR 1544, which significantly revises the funding formula for DHS grants to states and local governments. The legislation would allow states to prioritize their homeland security spending among their jurisdictions based on risk, threat, vulnerability and consequences of a terrorist attack. Revision of the funding formula was one of the key recommendations of the 9/11 Commission.

"For the first time, we have a bill that will make certain that funding for our first responders is based on risk and need. This will be particularly important to Maryland, which is located close to Washington, D.C., and has numerous highly-visible facilities such as the National Security Agency, Ft. Meade, Ft. Detrick, and the Aberdeen Proving Ground," said Rep. Cardin.

The Congressman also stressed the importance of removing homeland security assistance from general revenue sharing. "It should be used to supplement state and local resources based on risk, not as pork barrel spending."

The measure also includes several provisions that will directly benefit Maryland that were proposed by Rep. Cardin when he was a member of the Select Committee on Homeland Security during the 108th Congress. Those provisions include: a requirement that the DHS consider transient commuting or tourist population when making grants to states, and that the DHS also consider the close proximity to specific past acts of terrorism. It also authorizes grants to regional governments with populations of more than 1.65 million, allowing the Baltimore metro region and the surrounding counties of Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Howard to apply for regional counter-terrorism grants.

H.R. 1544 is supported by every major first responder organization. This crucial legislation will ensure that homeland security funding for first responders is distributed on the basis of risk.

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