Photo Courtesy of NYPD
“These dollars save lives and so it makes no sense for this funding to be slashed,” Sen. Schumer said.
By Forum Staff
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer on Sunday decried President Donald Trump’s first budget proposal, which, according to the senator, makes “dramatic and ill-advised cuts” to federal funding that supports critical anti-terrorism programs that enable New York City law enforcement to prevent and respond to attacks and threats.
Schumer said that the administration’s fiscal plan includes $700 million in cuts to programs such as the Homeland Security Grants and the Urban Area Security Initiative that helps cities like NYC prevent, mitigate, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism. Meanwhile, Schumer noted, the City Police Department spends millions in extra local—not federal—City dollars to protect Trump Tower, so it’s “unfair” for the President to propose cuts that could mean an even greater burden on taxpayers in the five boroughs when it comes to making the city safe. Schumer also said the Homeland Security Grant program provides federal funding to address the unique needs of high-threat, high-density urban areas like the New York metropolitan area, and helps keep the NYPD a step ahead of evil-doers.
“NYPD and terrorism experts alike say it again and again: Terrorists or other evil-doers look to exploit our weakest links. Cuts like the ones proposed by the Trump budget would not only weaken the security apparatus of this city, but they could turn a weak link into something far more serious,” Schumer added. “Federal security funds, like UASI, are the cornerstone of effective preparedness and prevention against terror threats and enable the NYPD to do all they can to keep New Yorkers safe and secure. These dollars prevent costly and crippling disasters, but more importantly, these dollars save lives and so, it makes no sense for this funding to be slashed. New York City continues to be the number one target for terrorism in the United States and federal anti-terror funding should reflect that reality. In fact, with the continued requirements of the NYPD to protect Trump Tower, federal funds to New York City should be increased, not decreased.”
Schumer also explained that urban cities like NYC rely on UASI funds to maintain terrorism prevention and response infrastructure. For instance, the Empire State’s senior senator explained that New York City uses a portion of UASI funds to support crucial First Responder Training efforts. Examples of this include the Fire Department’s Tiered Response Training and the Police Department’s Counter-Terrorism Training, such as the active shooter course. UASI funds also pay for coordinated regional planning exercises throughout the Metropolitan area. The exercises are designed to prepare multi-jurisdictional emergency response related to a large and catastrophic event. UASI funds also have been used on Ground Law Enforcement Security Measures, Schumer said, which includes heavy-weapons teams that conduct ongoing patrols at transit hubs, airports, bridges, subways, waterways and highly visited landmarks.
Schumer also noted that last year he successfully pushed to restore $600 million in key anti-terror dollars after then-President Barack Obama’s budget “woefully” recommended a funding level of only $330 million in UASI money required to keep NYC safe.
