As home to many of our nation’s major financial institutions, transportation hubs and beloved icons, New York City has repeatedly been the target of terrorist attacks. Yet, federal allocations of homeland security funds consistently fail to reflect this reality. The current antiterrorism funding process is highly flawed – it puts New Yorkers at even greater risk and needs immediate revision.

Recently, the federal government cut Urban Area Security Initiative grants for high-risk areas nationwide by 14 percent. The Department of Homeland Security cut New York City’s share of these grants by 40 percent. Of the 46 cities that received grants, New York City ranked 23rd in per capita funding, receiving a paltry $16 per person.

To protect themselves and the institutions they value, New Yorkers are left with no choice but to make up for the federal shortfall in antiterrorism funding.  It is estimated that each year New York City spends upwards of $200 million out of its own coffers on counter-terrorism measures. 

Take Action

Use these talking points to tell federal officials to give NYC its fair share of homeland security funding:

• The list of eligible grantees for homeland security funding should be carefully selected and funding should be based solely on a risk based threat assessment. (House Bills: H.R. 1419 & 5165; Senate Bills: S.308 & S.3566)
• Bioterrorism Hospital Preparedness funds should employ a formula that considers both population density and risk. (House Bill: H.R. 5468)
• Requirements that federal funds cannot supplant local funds should be lifted for NYC and other cities that have been spending their own money to compensate for inadequate federal funding. (House Bill: H.R. 796)
• Cities should be allowed to use homeland security grant funds to pay salaries and overtime for law enforcement officials working on counter-terrorism activities. (House Bill: H.R. 5654)
• Congress should increase the amount of funding to NYC for expenses incurred by the extraordinary police protection provided to the United Nations, foreign missions and foreign officials in the city.