Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., voted in favor of legislation today that would improve the nation’s defense against domestic and international threats and protect citizens in disaster recovery areas.

The Senate passed H.R. 5441, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2007, Thursday by a vote of 100-0.

"Securing our homeland doesn’t only happen at the border. It happens at our railways, interstates, energy production areas, national monuments and parks. This bill funnels money directly to state agencies that can put it to the best use in their state," said Enzi. "I worked with my colleagues to ensure that rural states were not punished by getting the short straw of funding because of population numbers. Defending against and preparing for attacks is a national effort and the allocation funds in this bill acknowledge that."

The bill would provide more than $32 billion in funding for the Department of Homeland Security for fiscal year 2007. High threat, high density urban area grants would be funded up to $745 million and $500 million would be reserved for state and local basic grant programs. More than 14,000 Border Patrol Agents, 1000 of which are new, would be funded under the bill along with over $8 billion for the Coast Guard and $6 billion for the Transportation Security Administration.

Enzi co-sponsored an amendment, which was successfully included in the bill, that would protect citizens against the confiscation of lawfully owned firearms during disaster recovery efforts.

"With yearly hurricane seasons and natural disasters that happen at the drop of a hat, Congress needs to ensure that law abiding citizens are allowed to carry legal firearms to protect their property and families. This bill does that," said Enzi.

Following Hurricane Katrina, the city of New Orleans confiscated more than 1,000 firearms which spurred the Second Amendment Foundation and the National Rifle Association to join with Louisiana gun owners to file a motion in U.S. District Court to temporarily restrain authorities from seizing additional firearms from private citizens.

The House of Representatives passed its version of H.R. 5441 by a vote of 389-9 on June 6, 2006. The two versions will now go to a Senate and House conference committee where the differences will be reconciled.