DHS task force to study first-responder funding

The Department of Homeland Security established a task force this week to address concerns from local officials that they aren't receiving federal first-responder funding quickly enough.

The task force, which includes governors, mayors and county officials, will identify effective state and local funding solutions that can be used in situations in which state and local homeland security funds cannot be distributed efficiently.

"It is critical that the men and women on the front lines of the war against terror have the resources they need to do their jobs," said Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge. "By identifying best practices and determining ways to implement them across the country, the task force will be able to put homeland security dollars into the hands of first responders more rapidly."

The 20-member task force will operate under the Homeland Security Advisory Council and its state and local and emergency response advisory committees. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will serve as the task force chairman.

The Department of Homeland Security has made $8 billion available to state and local governments for homeland security. The president's proposed 2005 budget contains an additional $5 billion in state and local funding.

The DHS Office of Domestic Preparedness provides the funds to the states, which are required by law to forward 80 percent to localities. States are allowed to keep 20 percent to support first responders as they see fit.

The department has taken more than a half dozen steps to speed funding to first responders. These include integrating the grant listings, pre-approving state or urban security strategies if all outstanding issues are addressed within a set time period, and requiring states to obligate funds to local jurisdictions within 60 days of receiving their grant packages.