The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed $1.6 billion in preparedness grants, a recent Department press release said. The grants will be spread across eight different programs.
The hostage situation at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue was part of the motivation for the increases in grant funding, the release said.
"Since the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the threat landscape has continued to evolve," Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said. "DHS has remained vigilant while adapting to protect the homeland."
Mayorkas noted the importance of the DHS grant programs.
"Through our grant programs, DHS makes critical investments to support our partners across every level of government and in the private sector as we work together to keep our communities safe," he said in the release.
Mayorkas also spoke of the dangers ahead for the nation.
"As the threats to our nation continue to evolve, our grant programs must evolve with them," he said. "This year, I have designated two new national priority areas for the FY 2022 State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) and Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant programs: Community Preparedness and Resilience; and Election Security."
The secretary outlined points of emphasis for this year's grants.
"With this year’s grant awards, DHS is prioritizing support to state, local, tribal, territorial, and campus law enforcement efforts more than ever before," Mayorkas said. "Since 2007, DHS grant programs have required a minimum of 25% of funds be granted to Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Activities (LETPA). This year, for the first time, I am increasing funding to LETPA from a statutory minimum of 25% to 30%, resulting in a $51.5 million increase from the prior year. "
