Today, Congressman Heck voted yes on the Clarke amendment to the FY "12 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill to ensure Nevada's eligibility for Urban Areas Security Initiative grants, and made the following statement:
"The amendment I voted for today is critical to the safety of Nevada families. This amendment restores a competitive Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant process based on Department of Homeland Security Risk Assessments, and removes an arbitrary cap on the number of cities eligible for UASI grants.
"I spent a great deal of my career in the anti-terrorism field developing threat assessments and plans for counterterrorism measures on the local, state and federal level. I've seen the destruction terrorism causes, and we must prevent it at all costs. As Chairman of the House Intelligence Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, I worked to ensure Nevada's eligibility for these grants.
"One of the failures identified after the 9/11 attacks was the lack of coordination between local first responders and federal counter-terrorism specialists. Our Fusion Centers fill this vacuum. The UASI grants are critical to mission of Fusion Centers and the safety of Nevada families.
"I understand the need to prioritize dollars and scarce resources, but limiting funding to an arbitrary cap of ten cities threatens our national preparedness. A competitive grant process based on Department of Homeland Security Risk Assessments provides a greater level of security for Nevadans and all Americans."