WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) is working to enhance homeland security in Rhode Island by ensuring that the state sees an increase in funding in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2006 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Bill being debated in the Senate today. Reed is cosponsoring an amendment to the State Homeland Security Program that would guarantee $13.7 million for Rhode Island and allow the state to apply for additional discretionary funds based on identified risks, threats and vulnerabilities. Reeds amendment ensures Rhode Islands funding is not cut in FY 2006 and has the potential for increased funding through additional discretionary grants. Currently in the bill, Rhode Island would only receive $10.8 million through the state grant program. Last year, the states final total was $14 million with no opportunity for additional discretionary funding. As we were recently reminded in London, terrorism continues to represent a real danger and we must remain vigilant and prepared, Reed stated. 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.The amendment would combine the State Homeland Security Grant Program, the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, and the Urban Area Security Initiative into a single grant program. Guaranteed funds would be distributed through a formula that includes population and population density. Half of the additional risk based funds would go to the nations top 100 metropolitan regions, which includes Providence, on a competitive basis. Factors such as coastlines and urban centers are also considered.Reed has also introduced a bipartisan amendment to increase mass transit security to $1.1 billion. The amendment proposes $790 million for capital security improvements, $333 million for operational security improvements, and $43 million for research into, and demonstration of, technologies and methods to reduce and deter terrorist threats in commuter bus and rail systems. Reed, a member of the Senate Transportation Subcommittee, has sponsored legislation to increase funding for transit security and consistently urged the Bush Administration to improve transit security. Last year Reed sponsored a bipartisan bill to provide $3.5 billion for the nations transit security needs over the course of the next three years. The Republican Leadership in the House of Representatives failed to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. In 2001 and 2002 Reed, as the Chair of the Transportation Subcommittee, held a series of hearings on the threat of terrorism to the U.S. transit system. A 2002 report released by the Government Accountability Office at the request of Reed stated that US transit systems are vulnerable to terrorist attack and face difficulties in establishing tight security due to high ridership and a need for easy access for commuters.Reed is also sponsoring an amendment that would require energy companies to create cost-sharing plans describing direct cost reimbursements to state and local agencies responsible for security and safety at LNG terminals and along shipping routes prior to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commissions (FERC) approval of an LNG terminal.