WASHINGTON, DC— Providing a significant increase in federal aid to help safeguard Rhode Island and the nation, the Senate Appropriations Committee today approved a spending bill to provide an 8 percent increase in federal funding for the Department of Homeland Security in fiscal year 2008. U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), a member of the Appropriations Committee, supported the legislation, which included an important provision he proposed to help prevent job cuts at the Civil Engineering Unit (CEU) in Providence.

Reed stated, "This legislation increases funding for essential homeland security programs to keep our state and the nation safe. It will also help ensure the Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit in Providence will be able to continue to provide critical support to New England."

CEU Providence provides crucial planning and facilities maintenance to the U.S. Coast Guard in New England and across the nation. The U.S Coast Guard is in the process of developing a plan to reorganize its Civil Engineering Program. Reed's amendment would prohibit the Coast Guard from using funds to alter or reduce operations within the Civil Engineering Program without Congressional approval.

The legislation also restores and increases important federal funding for state and local security programs, including: the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI); Emergency Performance Grant (EMPG) program; the FIRE grant program; as well as funding for transit, rail and port security. The Bush Administration proposed cutting $1.2 billion in federal funding for these essential programs. The bill also includes $525 million for the State Homeland Security Grant program, which the Administration had proposed cutting by 52 percent.

"State and local homeland security grant programs play an essential role in helping to protect our communities and help them prepare and respond to any emergencies that may arise," stated Reed. "I am pleased that the Senate Appropriations Committee has recognized that this federal funding is needed and reversed the Bush Administration's short-sighted spending cuts."

Reed has worked closely with officials at DHS to successfully include the city of Providence on the list of eligible urban areas for homeland security funding through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program. This federal designation makes Providence one of 39 cities nationwide eligible to receive anti-terror grants from a pot of $336 million in UASI funding.

He has also worked to help local fire districts and emergency responders apply for federal fire grants through his Fire Grant Workshops that he holds each year. These grants help provide firefighters with the tools and resources necessary to protect the public and ensure the health and safety of our firefighters. Since the grant program's inception, over $9 million has been awarded to local fire departments in Rhode Island.

The legislation also works to protect our nation's borders by providing a significant increase in funding for border security initiatives including more than $240 million above the President's request for immigration enforcement. It also provides funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help prepare for and provide aid in the event of natural disasters, including $120 million for National Pre-Disaster Mitigation Funds that provide states, communities and other with money for hazard mitigation planning and implementation of mitigation projects prior to a disaster occurring. The bill also includes $200 million more for Disaster Relief which has helped several communities in Rhode Island recover from events such as flooding and blizzards.

"This legislation provides a significant boost in our efforts to keep our homeland safe," Reed concluded. "I am committed to ensuring that Rhode Island has the tools and resources needed to protect its transit systems, airports, waterways and urban centers and has the capabilities to respond to emergencies, threats, and disasters. I will continue to work with my colleagues in the Senate to ensure funding for these essential needs."

The FY 2008 Homeland Security Appropriations bill will now go before the full Senate for consideration.

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