Leahy: Homeland Security Department Wednesday OKs
Vermont’s 1st-Responders Grant Application;
$4.9 M. To Be Released Within 48 Hours

WASHINGTON (Wed., May 7) – U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) was informed late Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that $4.96 million will be released to Vermont’s first responders within 48 hours.  The funds are being made available under a program Leahy authored to ensure that all states receive adequate funding for police, fire, medical and emergency personnel on heightened alert since September 11^th.  A DHS official told Leahy that Vermont’s application on how the funds will be used was signed Wednesday.

Vermont and other smaller states are benefiting from an all-state minimum formula that Leahy added for this program in the USA PATRIOT Act –  the anti-terrorism law enacted in October 2001 – ensuring each state a minimum of .75 percent of the total program funding.  Before Leahy’s program was enacted, a majority of these first responder grants were distributed based on factors that often left Vermont and other smaller states with less funding than they needed, including population density.

These funds were approved by Congress in a bill enacted in February. 

“Smaller states have new responsibilities in the war on terrorism, just as larger states do,” said Leahy, “and the formula for this these funds recognizes that.  Our firefighters, police and EMT’s have been waiting for these funds, and I’m glad this help is on its way.”

The funds being made available Wednesday are part of the first stage of the DHS’ first responder grant program.  Earlier this week, the DHS announced Vermont later would receive an additional $11 million under the second stage of this program, from funds approved in another bill, enacted last month.

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