U.S. Rep. Nick Rahall, D-WV, Friday, helped to turn back the President's proposed cuts for domestic security by supporting passage of a $36.3 billion Homeland Security Appropriations bill that will provide $2.1 billion more than the White House requested for the 2008 fiscal year.

"Unless the money is provided to back it up, all the talk in the world about making our homeland safer is just pointless chatter," Rahall said. "I supported this legislation because it rejects the President's funding cuts and provides more of the money needed to keep our communities safe."

The bill rejects $1 billion in cuts to vital first responder programs that the President proposed in his fiscal '08 budget, including a 55 percent cut for the Firefighter Assistance Grants, which have proven effective in providing West Virginia fire departments with the tools necessary to protect the communities they serve. Since October 6, 2006, sixty such grants have been awarded to West Virginia fire departments, totaling more than $5.7 million.

In addition, the bill rejects cuts to the State Homeland Security Grants Program, which awarded a total of $51.5 million to West Virginia from 2003 through 2006. The President proposed slashing the grants by 52 percent. Instead, this bill more than restores this cut - providing $550 million, which is $25 million above FY 2007 funding levels and $300 million above the President's request.

"We ask much of our first responders and too often provide them with too little. These men and women risk their lives in our defense every day, often with insufficient staffing, inadequate training, and obsolete equipment. We have an obligation to provide them the resources they need to work as safely as possible," Rahall said.

The bill also restores the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program at $230 million and the Local Law Enforcement Terrorism Program (LLETP) at $400 million, both programs which the President proposed for complete elimination.

"I have fought time and time again for the proper funding of these essential programs," Rahall said. "Why the President elected to put these important programs on the chopping block is a mystery to me, but I am elated that we have reversed his misdirection for the benefit of our first responders and our communities."

The funding bill now goes to the Senate for a vote.