Washington, D.C. - Today, Rep. Berman voted to invest in top priority homeland security programs that will keep Americans safe.  The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act emphasizes programs that secure our borders, ports and airports, and help train local first responders and emergency personnel.  To maintain fiscal responsibility, the bill eliminates 17 programs and cuts funding for another 40 programs.

This legislation provides critical funding to secure our borders, to train and equip our local first responders, and to safeguard the American people.  It includes $3.55 billion in grants for local municipalities to protect critical infrastructure in high-threat areas, help local fire departments, and upgrade central command facilities.

The local firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical personnel are the first line of defense in an emergency.   The grants and programs provided by this bill give the first responders the tools and resources they require in the case of an emergency.

The bill also boosts our efforts to increase the security along our borders.  There are additional investments to combat the violence, drug smuggling, and weapons smuggling currently occurring on our Southwest Border.  In addition, the bill invests in improving aviation security, port security, and transit security.  Among the many important programs, these funds will be used to purchase and install the latest explosive detection systems at airports nationwide and develop and deploy systems to screen cargo containers for weapons and nuclear materials.

This legislation protects Americans and prepares the nation for 21st-century security challenges.   It is an investment in American response capacities in order to better safeguard the citizens, allowing for the better prevention of threats, attacks, and emergencies.