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FY 2003 Supplemental Budget Request Fact Sheet

Release Date: 03/24/03 00:00:00

U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
March 24, 2003

The President's FY '03 Supplemental Budget requests $3.5 billion for the Department of Homeland Security to confront threats to the United States and the American people. This request provides the flexibility the Secretary as well as state and local governments need to meet the ever changing nature of terrorism.

Office for Domestic Preparedness

The Fiscal Year 2003 Supplemental Budget request includes $2 billion to further support enhancements to state and local terrorism preparedness efforts as well as coordinated prevention and security enhancement for first responders.   These new funds will allow the Department of Homeland Security in coordination with state and local governments to continue to strengthen America's first responder community and make our homeland safer from potential threats.  The $2 billion will be allocated to the following:

  • $1,500 million for grants to state and local preparedness activities for equipment, training, exercises, and planning.  States must allocate 80% of these funds to local governments.
  • $450 million for grants to states to enhance security at critical infrastructure facilities as part of Operation Liberty Shield.  This money can be used for personnel overtime expenses.  States must allocate at least one-third of these funds to local governments.
  • $50 million for protection or preparedness of major metropolitan areas, as determined by intelligence analysis and the Secretary of Homeland Security during Operation Liberty Shield.  

Department of Homeland Security Counterterrorism Fund

The Fiscal Year 2003 Supplemental Budget request includes $1.5 billion to support expanded responsibilities of the Department of Homeland Security for Operation Liberty Shield.  Specifically, this funding will support:

  • Increases in Border and Transportation Security Operations including additional screening of visitors crossing the border, more secondary inspection of immigrants and visitors at ports-of-entry, increased inspection of high-risk goods and cargo at ports-of-entry, additional flight hours for airspace security, protection of federal assets, and increased security between ports-of-entry on the borders.
  • Coast Guard protection of the military outload in U.S. ports; protection of economically-critical U.S. ports; activation of over 6,000 reservists and forces already deployed or in the process of being deployed to the operational theater.
  • Pre-deployment of federal emergency response assets and activation of government emergency response plans.  

This page was last reviewed/modified on 03/24/03 00:00:00.