On June 2nd, the U.S. House of Representatives’ Homeland Security Appropriation bill was passed by a vote of 231-188. The Fiscal 2012 Homeland Security Spending Bill includes several grants, including the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant program, which provides funding to address the unique planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas, and assists them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism. Per the 9/11 Act, states are required to ensure that at least 25 percent (25%) of UASI appropriated funds are dedicated towards law enforcement terrorism prevention activities.
In 2011 the Detroit area received $9,437,120 to aid security efforts from the UASI program. In the original FY2012 House Homeland Security Appropriations bill (H.R. 2017), the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) funds were changed so that they would only to be available to the ten most high risk urban regions of the country, leaving Michigan out of the running to collect federal funds. However, Congressman Hansen Clarke (D-MI) introduced an amendment (H.Amdt. 370) to the House Homeland Security Appropriations bill, eliminating the language that limits these important UASI grants to only the top 10 highest risk urban areas, explaining how this is the funding that urban areas rely on to hire new firefighters, police officers and emergency medical providers, as well as equip them. With support from most of the Michigan delegation including, Congressmen Dan Benishek (R-MI01), Bill Huizenga (R-MI02), Justin Amash (R-MI03), David Camp (R-MI04), Dale Kildee (D-MI05), Fred Upton (D-MI06), Tim Walberg (R-MI07), Gary Peters (D-MI09),), Congressman Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI11), Sander Levin (D-MI12), Hansen Clarke (D-MI13), John Dingell (D-MI15), and Congresswoman Candice Miller (R-MI10) the amendment passed in an impressive bipartisan effort 264-157 insuring that Michigan has continuing access to these essential Homeland Security funds.
An additional amendment to the Homeland Security Appropriation bill offered by Congressman David Cicilline (D-RI), which would have increase funds for state and local homeland security grant funding my $337 million, but was defeated by a 154-266 roll call vote. Congressmen Sander Levin (D-MI12), Hanson Clarke (D-MI13), and John Dingell (D-MI15) each voted in favor of the influx of funding.
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