Budget and Revenue Standing Committee

Federal Budget and Revenue Update

January 23, 2007
Volume 13, Number 2

An Information Service of the NCSL Budgets and Revenue Committee

Homeland Security Grant Program

On January 5, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the application materials and grant guidance for the 2007 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP), which includes the following awards:

State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP)- $509.3 million ($19 million below FY2006), with each state receiving at least 0.75 percent of the total available funds;

Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI)- $746.9 million ($36 million above FY2006), with 55 percent of those funds going to the six Tier 1 jurisdictions (Bay Area (CA), Chicago Area, (IL), Houston Area (TX), Los Angeles/Long Beach Area (CA), National Capital Region (DC) and New York City/Northern New Jersey Area) and the remainder of the funds competitively distributed among Tier 2 jurisdictions;

Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP)- $363.8 million ($20 million below FY2006), with each state receiving at least 0.75 percent of the total available funds;

Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS)- $32.0 million ($3 million above FY2006), divided equally between the 124 MMRS jurisdictions; and

Citizen Corps Program (CCP)- $14.6 million ($4 million below FY2006), with each state receiving at least 0.75 percent of the total available funds and the remainder of the funds being distributed based upon population.

In addition, DHS made several changes to the award process for FY 2007. This includes providing states additional time to complete their grant application and an additional year (up to 3 years) in which to spend FY 2007 grant funds. Click here for details:http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/grants_hsgp2007.htm

Homeland Security Infrastructure Protection Program

On January 9, DHS released the application materials and grant guidance for the 2007 Infrastructure Protection Program (IPP), which provides grant assistance to state and local governments, along with the private sector, to secure critical infrastructure, such as port, rail and inter-city bus security. The awards are to be allocated under a two tiered system based on risk. Click here for details: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp/grants_ipp2007.htm

The $445 million available under IPP, includes:

Port Security Grant Program: $201.2 million ($32 million above FY2006);

Transit Security Grant Program: $171.8 million ($28 million above FY2006);

Buffer Zone Protection Program: $48.5 million ($23 million below FY2006);

Intercity Bus Security Grant Program: $11.6 million ($2 million above FY2006); and

Trucking Security Grant Program: $11.6 million ($6 million above FY2006).

Implementation of the 9/11 Commission Recommendations

On January 10, the U.S. House of Representatives, as part of its first 100 hours legislative agenda, adopted H.R. 1, implementing additional recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission. H.R. 1 included language to revise the state grant formula where each state is guaranteed to receive 0.25 percent of the grants funds, while states with “a significant international land border” or “adjoining body of water within North America through which an international boundary line extends” receive a minimum of 0.45 percent of the available grant funds (states are guaranteed 0.75 percent under current law).

In addition, H.R. 1 includes penalties for failing to meet distribution deadlines and additional screening recommendations for cargo destine for U.S. ports. Click here for details:

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=110_cong_bills&docid=f:h1eh.txt.pdf