Security Newswire

Economic Recovery Money Will Create Jobs While Making America Safer

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today released some details of the projects being funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, recently passed in both houses of Congress and signed into law by President Obama.

The total amount going to DHS and to the General Services Administration (GSA) in support of DHS programs is $3.5 billion. Funded projects include a combined $650 million to begin construction of a consolidated headquarters for the department at the former site of St. Elizabeths Hospital in southeast Washington, D.C.; a combined $720 million for renovation and construction at land ports of entry and $1 billion for explosive detection systems and enhanced checkpoint screening equipment at airports.

“The primary responsibility of this department is as clear as it is sobering: protect our people from attacks,” said Secretary Janet Napolitano. “The funds in the President’s recovery package for Department of Homeland Security projects will not only make the country safer and more secure, but will create new jobs and in some cases save the jobs of men and women who do the hard and often unglamorous and thankless work of staying ahead of those who would seek to do us harm.”

The Department of Homeland Security has also launched a website that will monitor and track the stimulus money coming in to the department and going out to DHS-related projects. The website can be found at www.dhs.gov/recovery.

More details about these projects will be released in the coming days and weeks, but below is a full list of DHS projects supported by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act:

St. Elizabeths/DHS Headquarters Consolidation:

$650 million ($200 million to DHS; $450 million to GSA)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP):

$720 million for construction at land ports of entry ($300 million GSA; $420 million CBP)
$100 million for Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) technology
$100 million for border technology on the southwest border
$60 million for tactical communications equipment and radios

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE):

$20 million for ICE automation modernization and tactical communications

Transportation Security Administration:

$1 billion for explosives detection systems and checkpoint screening equipment

U.S. Coast Guard:

$142 million for Alteration of Bridges program
$98 million for construction, which may include the following:
- Shore facilities and aids to navigation facilities
- Vessel repair/acquisition (includes High Endurance Cutter, National Security Cutter)

Federal Emergency Management Agency:

$100 million for Emergency Food and Shelter Program
$150 million for transit and rail security grants
$150 million for port security grants, no non-federal match required
$210 million for Assistance to Firefighter (AFG) grants for firehouse construction; maximum grant is $15.0M
$5 million expansion in authority for FEMA Community Disaster Loans
Requires the establishment of an arbitration panel to resolve Katrina/Rita public assistance disputes
Requires FEMA to accept additional applications for Katrina/Rita public assistance
All non-federal matching requirements for SAFER grants waived for FY 2009-2010