Homeland Security
Keeping America Safe at Home
Senator Reed knows that real security begins with making sure our communities are safe places to live, work, and raise a family. That is why he helped pass legislation to put more cops on the beat. In an effort to help police, firefighters, and medical personnel respond to natural disasters and emergencies, Senator Reed voted to increase funding for interoperable communications equipment so local officials can better coordinate their response.
To protect Americans from terrorism, Senator Reed voted to create the Department of Homeland Security and has supported efforts to implement the recommendations of the independent 9/11 Commission.
He held the Senate's first hearing on securing our nation's mass transit system after 9/11. He has also supported efforts to strengthen hard targets like public transportation systems and nuclear and chemical plants and safeguard our nation's borders, airports, and seaports.
Reed opposed the Bush Administration's efforts to slash homeland security funding to Rhode Island.
Senator Reed led the successful effort to include Providence on the list of cities eligible for homeland security funding through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program. This important designation made Providence one of 60 urban areas nationwide (including Boston, Las Vegas, Miami, and Seattle) eligible to receive anti-terror grants from a pot of $352 million in UASI funding that can be applied to planning, equipment, and training to prevent, protect, respond and recover from acts of terrorism and other disasters.
As Chairman of the Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, Reed has focused on combating terrorism at home and abroad and preventing the spread of weapons of mass destruction. He has carefully examined the effectiveness of counter-drug programs in Afghanistan and the Western Hemisphere, and highlighted emerging threats to our security and technological capabilities and what our government must do to address them.
To ensure the U.S. Coast Guard maintains a strong presence in the Ocean State and to help keep Rhode Islanders safe, Reed successfully passed an amendment ensuring that the Coast Guard's Civil Engineering Unit (CEU) remains in Rhode Island. CEU Providence provides crucial planning and facilities maintenance to the U.S. Coast Guard in New England and across the nation.
Reed also worked with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and Representative Jim Langevin to support efforts and provide federal funding to bring a new Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence for Explosives Detection, Mitigation, and Response to the University of Rhode Island (URI). This new center will allow URI researchers, in collaboration with Northeastern University, to expand their studies and develop new homeland security solutions that will help protect our country. Its primary focus will be to detect leave-behind Improvised Explosive Devices; enhance aviation cargo security; provide next-generation baggage screening; detect liquid explosives; and improve suspicious passenger identification.
Recent News:
Senate Appropriations Committee Passes Homeland Security Legislation
Rhode Island to Receive Over $1.8 Million in Homeland Security Funding
Floor Statement on Enacting 9/11 Commission Recommendations
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