WASHINGTON-The Senate Monday passed an amendment to the 9/11 Commission legislation that would streamline first-responder funding while ensuring that each state gets a baseline of funding and those areas with a higher risk of terrorism are given a higher priority.
“The distribution of federal homeland-security dollars should be determined according to risk and vulnerability to terrorist attacks. At the same time, every state has vulnerabilities and each should be ensured a baseline level of homeland-security funding to assure preparedness. This legislation addresses the homeland-security needs of small and rural states, as well as states with major metropolitan centers,” said Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine), Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Tom Carper (D-Del.).
The Homeland Security Grant Enhancement Act was attached as an amendment to the legislation resulting from the 9/11 Commission Report. The Senate expects to complete consideration of the 9/11 bill this week. The House is also considering its version this week. The two bills then likely will go to conference to work out differences before final passage, expected later this year.
The amendment streamlines first-responder funding by creating a “one-stop shopping” area within the Department of Homeland Security said the senators.
“The legislation directs DHS to create a national domestic preparedness training center to assist states in developing, maintaining and adopting certifiable training standards for first responders. It also gives state and local governments greater flexibility to transfer state homeland-security grant funds among different preparedness activities, such as training, planning and equipment,” said the senators.
