WASHINGTON, DC -- In an effort to provide Rhode Island with vital counter-terrorism resources and protect Americans nationwide, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today joined several colleagues in introducing legislation to provide an additional $790 million in homeland security funding to high-risk states and cities. This amendment would restore funding for the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP), the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP), and the Urban Area Secure Initiative (UASI) to the same level provided in fiscal year 2005.  If passed, Rhode Islands homeland security and disaster readiness funding would nearly double. Earlier this year, the Bush Administration dramatically reduced anti-terror programs by nearly $500 million dollars, down from $2.2 billion in 2005, to $1.7 billion in 2006, said Reed.  But the threat of terrorism is just as strong today as it has ever been.  We should not cut funding to our high-risk states and cities.  We need to ensure our law enforcement officers and first responders have the personnel and equipment they need to protect our nation.Under the Bush plan, Rhode Island will only get $7.84 million from the 2006 State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) this year.  This is about half the amount that the state received in 2005 ($16 million) and one-third of the 2004 level ($21.4 million).  The Department of Homeland Security also reduced funding by 30% or more to many other high risk states and cities, including New York, Texas, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Ohio.  And high risk cities like Washington, DC and New York City will receive 40 percent less in urban grant money compared to last year.The Schumer-Clinton-Reed amendment will restore $600 million to the State Homeland Security Grant Program (from $500 million to $1.1 billion); $50 million to the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (from $350 million to $400 million); and $140 million to the Urban Areas Security Initiative (from $745 million to $885 million).Rhode Islands population density and its critical location on the Eastern seaboard place it at risk for terrorism.  In addition, the metropolitan area at the northern part of Narragansett Bay is at tremendous risk of property loss, and potentially the loss of human life, from major hurricanes or noreasters, said Reed.  At a time when the Republicans in Washington want to cut taxes for multi-millionaires, I think we ought to instead invest in the safety of our middle class families by appropriately funding homeland security initiatives.Reed also criticized the Bush Administrations recently released National Asset Database.  This inventory of potential terrorist targets, compiled by the Department of Homeland Security, contains 77,069 sites nationwide and is used to help decide which communities will receive federal anti-terror funding.  According to the report, Indiana has the most potential terrorist targets in the nation (8,591), followed by Wisconsin (7,146).  The report says that New York has 5,687 potential terrorist targets; California has 3,212; Connecticut has 920; Massachusetts has 764; Rhode Island has 97; and New Hampshire has 77.  This report is outrageous, and this is yet another disappointing failure by the Department of Homeland Security.  The time has come for DHS to get its act together and make sure that resources are going where they are needed, said Reed.