Wednesday, May 31, 2006                                                                                  Printable Version (PDF)

 

Washington, DC - Congresswoman Doris O. Matsui (CA-5) announced that the Sacramento region will receive $7.39 million from a federal homeland security grant program – the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Grant.  Additionally, California will also receive a little over $42 million to disperse throughout the state for the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program (LETPP).   However, in January the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced revised eligibility guidelines for the UASI grant program, because of which Sacramento may no longer be able to apply for these funds.

 “I am pleased that Sacramento’s homeland security effort will receive these critical dollars.  It is recognition that an attack on Sacramento could have significant repercussions not only on the region, but the entire state as well,” stated Congresswoman Matsui.  “However, I am concerned that this is an example of how we’re not fully meeting our national security needs.  DHS had little to no rational justification for the new eligibility guidelines only citing budgetary limitations.” 

While both grants are targeted towards terrorism prevention, the UASI funds are directed towards metropolitan areas deemed to be high-threat and high-density by DHS.  Sacramento has benefited from both UASI and LETPP funds, receiving respectively from each program nearly $14 million and $1.5 million in the previous two years.  Previously funding from these two grants have been spent on items such as information analysis, gas mask filters, first responder training and communication equipment upgrades.

 

In expressing her concern about the revised eligibility guidelines, Congresswoman Matsui added, “This is not how you protect this country and ensure the wise use of our limited resources.  DHS seems to have placed the cart before the horse.  We all recognize that we need to direct our limited resources towards the most at-risk locations. However, it seems there are many things that they overlooked or didn’t account for as a result of poor policy. And policy is only as good as the information that goes into it.”

 

Since January, Congresswoman Matsui has been very vocal on the UASI Grant Program.  She continues to question and press DHS for an explanation on the revised guidelines, because of which Sacramento was grandfathered in to receive funds this year, but would not necessarily be eligible in future years.  In addition to sending a multitude of letters to DHS over the last few months, she has met with a wide range of federal, state and local officials to advocate for Sacramento’s needs. In addition to Sacramento’s removal, other cities notified of ineligibility include Phoenix, San Diego and Las Vegas.

 Continued the Congresswoman, “I’ve been working closely with our state and local law enforcement officials and first responders.  They understand the threats facing our region and are working hard to prevent an attack.  And while they’re doing their job, the federal government needs to do theirs.  Part of that is providing leadership by setting standards and the other is to provide resources.  My concern is that the federal government is shirking its responsibility, and so, I am standing up to make sure that Sacramento has the funding it needs.”