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Cornyn Announces $182.4 Million In Homeland Security Funding For Texas

WASHINGTON—U.S. Sen. John Cornyn announced Wednesday that Texas will receive a total of $182.4 million in grant funding for homeland security and emergency preparedness needs from the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Commerce. 

The state will receive $65 million to bolster first responder communication through the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) Program, and a combined $58.9 million through the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP). In addition, several Texas metropolitan areas will directly receive a total of $58.5 million through the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI).

“This funding is critical to ensuring our first responders, or hometown security, have what they need to keep our communities safe,” Sen. Cornyn said. “We must continue working together on a local, state and federal level to best equip and support those on the front lines of our security.”

Sen. Cornyn added, “Enhancing interoperable communications has consistently been one of the top priorities identified by first responders in the wake of September 11. Communication between first responder agencies and emergency management teams is essential to effective and rapid disaster response and preparedness for threats facing our state.”  

Background:

• $65 million -- the Public Safety Interoperable Communications Program (PSIC).  These grants will help state and local first responders improve public safety communications and coordination during a natural or man-made disaster. The PSIC grant program will assist public safety agencies in the acquisition, deployment and training of interoperable communications systems to enhance the ability of first responders to communicate via voice, data and/or video signals.
• $58.9 million -- the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP).  SHSP grants will help in the implementation of the State Homeland Security Strategy to address the identified planning, equipment, training and exercise needs for acts of terrorism. LETPP focuses on the prevention of terrorist attacks and provides law enforcement and public safety communities with funds to support intelligence gathering and information sharing; hardening high-value targets; continuing to build interoperable communications; and collaborating with non-law enforcement partners, other government agencies and the private sector.
• $58.5 million -- the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI). These grants address the unique planning, equipment, training, and exercise needs of high threat, high density urban areas. Funds are provided directly to these metropolitan areas to assist them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, respond to and recover from acts of terrorism.
• Specific allocations for UASI grants are:
  • Houston Metropolitan Area: $25 million (a 50 percent increase from last year)
  • Dallas/Fort Worth Metropolitan Area:  $21 million (a 51 percent increase from last year)
  • San Antonio Metropolitan Area:  $6.7 million (a 51 percent increase from last year)
  • El Paso Metropolitan Area:  $5.8 million (this is the first time El Paso will receive UASI funding).

Sen. Cornyn serves on the Armed Services, Judiciary and Budget Committees. In addition, he is Vice Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics. He serves as the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee’s Immigration, Border Security and Refugees subcommittee and the Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee. He served previously as Texas Attorney General, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Bexar County District Judge.

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