More than 30 cities to lose anti-terror funding

WASHINGTON -- The Department of Homeland Security has notified more than 30 cities across the country that they are losing anti-terror funding from the federal government.

The department said Thursday that money for the Urban Areas Security Initiative grants has been cut by about $170 million as part of a larger budget cut that eliminated more than $780 million in grant money from the latest federal budget. The budget cuts mean that only 31 high-threat urban areas, including Las Vegas and Los Angeles, as well as New York and Washington, will still receive grants this year.

Texas is taking the largest hit, with Austin, El Paso, and San Antonio no longer eligible to receive millions in funding through the Department of Homeland Security's Urban Areas Security Initiative grant program. Combined, the cities received more than $14.5 million in federal funding last year.

Rep. Peter King, chair of the Homeland Security Committee, praised the department for continuing to fund the New York City region at the same level -- about $151.5 million -- as in years past.

He said in a statement that the allocations "in this difficult fiscal climate" reflect his and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano's "recognition that New York and Long Island remain the top target of al-Qaida and its affiliates and need continued federal funding."

New York and Washington were targets of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and have traditionally received the most attention, and money, from the federal government. In other cities and regions, including in upstate New York, the news that millions of dollar would be lost was met Thursday with a vocal opposition.

"This is a glaring example of the real world impact on western New York of the extreme cuts the new House majority is focused on," said Rep. Brian Higgins, a New York Democrat who serves on the Border and Maritime Security and Counterterrorism and Intelligence subcommittees. "The budget is a statement of our national priorities. Keeping our border safe, protecting a region with a history of terrorist cell activities should top the list."

And the cuts come at a worrisome time for law enforcement. After the killing of Osama bin Laden, U.S. authorities have recovered evidence from his compound in Pakistan that the terror leader was encouraging his followers to target smaller U.S. cities in future attacks.

The grant program was launched in 2003 in response to security threats in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Initially the money was available only to New York City, Washington, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, San Francisco, and Houston. But since 2008 more than 60 cities have been awarded the risk-based grants.

Also included in the cities losing money are Providence, R.I.; New Orleans and Baton Rouge, La.; Tucson, Ariz.; and Honolulu.