Higgins leads House colleagues in letter to Napolitano on Urban Area Security Initiative funding

Calls for funding to be restored to all eliminated cities

Congressman Brian Higgins, NY-26, led more than 30 of his House of Representatives colleagues in a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano objecting to further funding cuts to the Urban Area Security Initiative program, and asking that eligibility be restored for all cities that have participated in the UASI program in the past.

In the letter, the members write, in part: "As our local law enforcement and first responders cope with a new reality that goes beyond traditional crime, limiting UASI funding to only 25 metropolitan areas - a 61 percent decrease from fiscal year 2010 funding allocations - is irresponsible. And beyond an inability to prepare for and respond to terrorist attacks or other catastrophic events, state and local governments will undoubtedly lose invaluable capability gains and advancements made in previous years."

In fiscal year 2010, 64 regions, including Buffalo-Erie-Niagara, were eligible for the UASI program. The Buffalo region received $5,544,750 in UASI funding. In FYs 2011 and 2012, this number was reduced to 31, and the Buffalo region was among the eliminated cities.