Thompson: Grant Guidance Shows Rash and Shortsighted Budget Cuts
(WASHINGTON) – Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), Ranking Member of the Committee on Homeland Security, released the following statement regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency's release of its Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 Preparedness Grant Guidance. Pursuant to the end-of-the-year spending law, a paltry $1.3 billion was appropriated for homeland security grant programs. The grant guidance sets forth how these funds have been allocated by the Secretary of Homeland Security, based on threat, vulnerability and consequence analysis. Under these guidelines, many targeted grant programs are eliminated entirely while the others are cut significantly.
In comparison to FY2011, the following reductions are slated for FY 2012:
- State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) by 44 percent
- Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) by 26 percent
- Port Security Grant Program (PSGP) by 59 percent
- Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) by 56 percent
Today's homeland security announcement is the predictable result of the Republican Majority's blind approach to cutting the budget, no matter the cost to our Nation's security. Back in December, I protested these shortsighted and rash cuts. Today, we know their real world consequences. As the threat of terrorism diversifies and grows more complex, we cannot afford to abandon the preparedness and counterterrorism partnership we made with our country's at-risk communities over a decade ago.
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