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Washington needs to end the dual-headed federal agency fight over which entity should be the primary federal partner of state and local law enforcement. Rather, the federal government needs topresent a federal enterprise solution to state and localgovernments. Too many of the United States' higher-riskjurisdictions lack the requisite level of counterterrorismcapabilities to engage in effective prevention activities. Thisdeficiency must end.

Six years after 9/11, the federal government still lacks acomprehensive regime for planning and preparing for large-scaledisasters. Fixing the problem will require renewed vigor from theAdministration in setting clear policy guidelines, particularly inimplementing a National Exercise Program, emphasizing the priorityof interagency disaster preparedness for the National PlanningScenarios, and improving professional development.

A Resource Guide and Report of the Health Care and Homeland Security Conference, July 17-18, 2007 Introduction

The right step forward for PPD-8 is to leverage what has already been done and focus on getting measurable results.

The President’s budget request would maintain homeland security funding at current levels, but the budget request would increase funding for several programs that add little additional security while cutting others that could significantly enhance U.S. homeland security. Congress should use the budget process to refocus the Department of Homeland Security on its primary objective of improving security. Counterproductive homeland security grants to state and local governments should be eliminat...

States and localities need to play a larger role in counterterrorism and disaster response.

Congress should reassess the current homeland security grant structure.

On Friday, July 25, 2008, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the allocations for the fiscal year (FY) 2008 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) grant program. The purpose of the UASI is to distribute funds to the highest risk urban areas in America. The funds have always  been allocated based on risk or the combination of risk and the quality of investment justifications. In light of the announcement, however, it appears the allocation of UASI grants is now based more on poli...

States' use of homeland security grants to supplant state homeland security spending is widespread even in the rosiest of economic times. In the current fiscal climate, however, such toxic misappropriation could explode into an epidemic. Subsequently, Congress must not allow homeland security grants to masquerade as an entitlement program for the states.

It’s déjà vu all over again: People are arguing that the Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) should be taken out of the Department of Homeland Security. Recent disaster responses, from the California wildfires to Hurricane Ike, demonstrate that FEMA is operating effectively within the department. Congress should reject calls to make FEMA a stand-alone agency.