WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is providing significant security funding to New Jersey and various organizations through a number of competitive grant programs, U.S. Congressman Rodney Frelinghuysen (NJ-11) has announced.  This critical funding was provided in the FY 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act, authored by Frelinghuysen, the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, and signed into law by the President in March. 

“Unfortunately, our nation still faces a serious and persistent terror threat.  As we saw earlier in the year, the Department of Homeland Security increased North Jersey’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) ‘threat score’ for Morris, Essex, Passaic, Bergen, Hudson, Middlesex, and Union counties. Today’s awards highlight the Appropriations Committee’s ongoing commitment to ensuring our communities across New Jersey and the entire nation have the necessary resources to assist our first responders prepare for and respond to these threats,” Frelinghuysen said.

Specifically, the funding includes:

$22.7 million for the Northern New Jersey UASI which provides assistance to our communities, facing the greatest risk, to respond to ever growing and more complex threats.

“In the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks, I was an early advocate for the UASI program, which has proven so important to first responders in northern New Jersey. Since then, I have worked to protect UASI and ensure that New Jersey, the most densely populated state in the nation, receives more funding to prevent, prepare for and respond to acts of terrorism.”

In addition, non-profit organizations in New Jersey will receive $8.6 million for infrastructure “hardening” and other physical security enhancements to non-profit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack including synagogues, Jewish Community Centers, and other faith based organizations.

The FY2018 spending bill, crafted by the Appropriations Committee, more than doubled the funding for the Non-profit Security Grant Program to counter the growing number of threats to Jewish organizations and other vulnerable non-profits.

$2.7 million in port security grants to state and local first responder organizations to secure our maritime ports.

$16.4 million intransit security grants which will be utilized by New Jersey Transit to protect critical public surface transportation infrastructure and the traveling public from acts of terrorism.

$8.4 million to New Jersey in Emergency Management Performance Grants to assist our state in building and sustaining critical capabilities for disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.

$262,519 in funding to bus operators in New Jersey through the Intercity Bus Security Grant Program to assist with security preparedness.

“I am pleased DHS is recognizing New Jersey’s vulnerabilities and unique security needs when distributing their funds.”

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