Weiner Urges Chertoff For More NYC Anti_Terror Dollars

Statement

WEINER URGES CHERTOFF FOR MORE NYC ANTI-TERROR DOLLARS

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn & Queens), a member of the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, released the following statement today in response to the release of a National Intelligence Estimate which states that Al-Qaida "have expressed a desire to attack the homeland". Department of Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff is set to announce that New York City will only get a small increase of $9.5 million (7.7%) in Homeland Security anti-terrorism grants despite cuts of 40% in 2006. Weiner is a longstanding advocate of limiting the number of cities eligible for UASI grants and distributing homeland security funds based solely on risk:

"Last year's allocation of anti-terror funds was a shocking abuse of homeland security dollars. Despite promises to the contrary, New York City will once again get shortchanged while small, low-risk cities continue to receive questionable funding.

"I urge Secretary Chertoff to act responsibly and ensure that high threat targets like New York City receive the vital funding needed to keep our city the safest big city in the country.

"I am all for protecting the beer industry in Milwaukee, but not with the same funds used to protect Wall Street and the United Nations from a terrorist attack."

While DHS has taken steps to address some criticisms of its funding formula, the number of cities eligible for high threat grants has hardly changed. Last year, DHS expanded the list of eligible cities to 46 areas that included over 600 different cities and towns, covering 54% of the country's population. The result: New York City got severely shortchanged.

After heeding a long-standing demand from Rep. Weiner last year, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced that anti-terror dollars could finally be used to fund terrorism cops in 2007, and NYPD can continue to use up to 25% for overtime.

Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation authored by Rep. Weiner which will require public disclosure of all anti-terror spending by cities and states. The legislation requires any government entity that spends federal homeland security dollars to send quarterly expenditure reports to DHS, which will help ensure that vital anti-terror dollars, millions of dollars that are supposed to fight terror, aren't actually going to the very worst kind of pork barrel programs.

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