ROBERT P. CASEY, JR. Penney: - aerator vomarioN. a "w a? moronrs?av 'i . 11111 :2 a ?3 :3th HFAITI I, roocnno-v, DC 20510 AND PENSIONS SPFCIRL CDMMII Il-l3 ON AGING JOI-?all' February 10, 2017 The Honorable John F. Kelly Secretary US. Department of Homeland Security Washington, DC. 20528 The Honorable Jeff Sessions Attorney General US. Department of Justice 950 Avenue, NW Washington, DC. 20530 Dear Secretary Kelly and Attorney General Sessions: As the Administration prepares its Fiscal Year 2018 budget request to Congress, I write to urge the prioritization of funding for programs that help law enforcement and homeland security of?cials protect our communities. ISIS, al Qaeda, and other terrorist organizations have expressed their intent to attack the United States. experienced an ISIS inspired attack in January 2016 and the arrest of an ISIS supporter in December 2015. Law enforcement and homeland security experts at the local, state, and federal levels cooperated to apprehend these individuals, in one case preventing a possible attack and in another, quickly taking an attacker off the streets after he shot a Philadelphia police officer. As I urged the previous Administration, I urge you to accelerate efforts to prepare communities to prevent and respond to ISIS?inspired attacks on the homeland as a component ofa multi-part strategy to degrade and defeat terrorist groups like ISIS and al Qaeda. For example, the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) was instrumental in supporting the creation of the Delaware Valley Intelligence Fusion Center in Philadelphia, which helps law enforcement at all levels coordinate in real time in response to all hazards and all threats. The Nonpro?t Security Grant Program (NSGP) is critical to helping nonpro?t organizations, including places of worship, make physical security improvements. In Fiscal Year 2016, the Commonwealth received more than $32 million from UASI, NSGP, and the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP). Local law enforcement agencies are often the first line of defense in preventing and responding to attacks. They can only perform this critical role if they have the resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively. The Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (JAG) program provides critical funding to support a wide variety of law enforcement equipment, training and enforcement activities. received over $6.3 million through this program in Fiscal Year 2016, not including an additional million allocated directly to local jurisdictions. The Community Oriented Policing Solutions (COPS) Hiring Program funds the hiring of additional police officers for local agencies that often face stretched budgets in Fiscal Year 2016 over $700,000 went to support the hiring of additional of?cers in The Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program sent over $830,000 to 283 jurisdictions in to support the purchase of 4,354 life-saving vests. These are proven programs that make our communities and our Nation safer. I urge the Administration to maintain and build upon our investments in these smart programs as you prepare your Fiscal Year 2018 budget submission to Congress: - Urban Areas Security Initiative: In Fiscal Year 2016, $5 80 million was appropriated for the Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI), a $7 million decrease from the previous year. UASI grants are available to states and territories to enhance preparedness to prevent, respond to, and recover from terrorist incidents. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are both considered ?high risk? urban areas for purposes of the UASI program. I urge the Administration to restore UASI funding to the Fiscal Year 2015 levels, at a minimum, and to consider increasing funding to levels consistent with the Fiscal Year 2017 recommendation from the Senate. DHS - Store Homeland Security Program: In Fiscal Year 2016, $402 million was appropriated fer the State Homeland Security Program, which is equivalent to the previous year. received more than $10 million in funding from this program last year to support training and equipment to close capability gaps. I urge the Administration to maintain this commitment to supporting state homeland security of?cials with training and resources by requesting at least $402 million for this program in Fiscal Year 2018 and ideally increasing the request to levels consistent with the Fiscal Year 2017 recommendation from the Senate. DHS - Nonpro?t Security Grant Program: In Fiscal Year 2016, $20 million was appropriated for this program, which is equivalent to the previous year. This program assists nonpro?t organizations vulnerable to attack with improving their physical security. In recent months, we have seen community centers and places of worship become a target, including attacks on a mosque in Quebec City and on a synagogue in Chicago. I urge the Administration to increase funding for this program and consider ways to enhance awareness of and accessibility to this program for nonpro?t organizations. DOJ Byrne JAG Program: In Fiscal Year 2016, $476 million was appropriated to this program. While this represents a $100 million increase over the previous year, that increase re?ects an extra appropriation through the program for security at the presidential nominating conventions. This appropriation also includes $22.5 million for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program, an increase of $250,000 over the previous year. I strongly support these programs, which support the testing and replication of evidence-based crime-?ghting programs nationwide and literally save police lives by helping local departments purchase much-needed protective gear. I urge the Administration to request at least $333.5 million in funding for Byrne JAG and at least $30 million for the Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. DOJ - COPS Hiring Program: In Fiscal Year 2016, $13? million was appropriated to this program, an increase of $2.5 million over the previous year. This initiative provides funding to state and local law enforcement agencies fer the training and hiring of new of?cers to participate in community policing, the acquisition of new crime??ghting technology, and the development of innovative policing strategies. In alone, thoosands of police of?cers have been hired 0r retained as a direct result of the COPS program, but this program has been subject to cuts in recent years. I urge you to request $229 million in funding for this program, consistent with the President?s budget request for Fiscal Year 2017. These programs are smart investments in our national security and community preparedness. We should not only support our law enforcement and homeland security professionals with words, but we should make every effort to ensure they have the training, equipment and resources necessary to help keep our communities safe. Thank you for your consideration of my views, and I look forward to working with you on these important programs. Sincerely, Robert P. Casey, Jr. United States Senator