Congress of the United States ‘Washington. BE 20515 March 23,2016 ‘The Honorable John Carter The Honcrable Lucille Roybal-Allard Chairman Ranking Member House Subcommitee on Homeland Security House Suscommittee on Homeland Security 307 Rayburn House Office Building 1016 Longworth House Office Building ‘Washington, D.C. 20515, Washington, D.C. 20515 DDeat Chairman Carter and Ranking Member Koybal-Allar: ‘As you prepare the FY 2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriation ill, we respectfully request an increase in funding for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) to $725 million, Since its inception following the terrorist stacks on 91, the UASI program hasbeen the ‘mast effective vehicle for directing homeland security funds where they are most needed: our nation’s highest-hreat metropolitan areas. ‘As recent terorst attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, Californi have shown, cites across ‘ur country are facing real and growing threats from terrorism every day. That is why it's so important that we provide our cities with the funding they need t invest ina wide variety of resources and keep Americans safe. Inthe frst hours, and even cays, after an emergency, the burden of responding to and managing the emergency falls almost entirely on local first responders and thelr regional perners. UASI funds have been eritical to providing frst responders with the tools and {caning they need to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from terrorist attacks and other sisasters. In addition, UASI has encouraged an unprecedented leve! of regional public safety cooperation and communication, as wel as improved coordination between local, state, and federal first responders “The potential danger to our high isk urban areas has not gone away, yet funding for this Important grant program and the number of cites eligible for this funding has been reduced significantly in recent yeas. Failure to maintain strong funding for UAS| threatens to undermine the successful federal investment we have made in regional homelard security capacity over the past decade, ‘We understand the curent constrains onthe federal budget and appropriations process, but keeping our cities safe must remain atop priority. In light ofthe threat our urban areas face, we urge 18725 million funding level inthe FY 2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bil Thank you for your consideration of our request Boris Natsu DORIS MATSUI Member of Cangress PETER T. Member of CongressSas se Midler One ‘MATT CARTWRIGHT nea me gt He ‘PAT MEEHAN “Member of Congress Member of Congrese Aeabged FRANEEL, “f Member of Congress PATRI ‘Membe: of Congress Mp Armeifhal ALAN LOWENTHAL “Member of Congress LA TAGSBON LEE “Mesaher of ogressSuganne Prnaisc SU2KNNEBONAMICI ROBERTS. "BODY scorr ocean noevonoes Non — a pall a sr? ve poe hen Foret pared a i Conan iio Pare corvcae rarest sae tudvca JW Lom ‘crc nEEN aes f ERROR a . 7 r " \ hs go oe a (KA FATT! Pyotr E CUMMINGS ‘Member of Congress ‘of Congressivis vai Congress LD of Congress here Member of Congress Tule Gulebarel Mile ees (seal WS DONATD M PAVNE, Im Member of Congress CRO’ ‘of Congress