March 6, 2003 Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Representatives of US Mayors & First Responders Groups Announce Domestic Defense Fund Act Fund Includes $5B Base-Level Direct Funding for First Responders, $1B Emergencey Reserve Fund, and $1B for High Threat Areas Like New York City and Washington, DC Washington, DC - Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (NY), today announced a bill to establish a Domestic Defense Fund. Senator Clinton was joined in her announcement by the Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, on behalf of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, William Johnson, Executive Director, National Association of Police Organizations (NAPO), Steve Cassidy, President, Uniformed Firefighters Association, Ed Mullins, President, Sergeant's Benevolent Association, Barry Kasinitz, Director of Governmental Affairs, International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), and firefighter trustees from each of the five boroughs Donald Ruland, UFA, Staten Island Trustee, John Kelly, UFA, Brooklyn Trustee, Rudy Sanfillippo, UFA, Manhattan Trustee, Tom DaParma, UFA, Queens Trustee. "Our first responders serve on the frontlines in our war against terrorism and it's time for them to move to the front of the line when it comes to federal support for their efforts," said Senator Clinton. "That is why today I am announcing the 'Domestic Defense Fund Act' to ensure base level direct funding for our first responders, targeted funding to high threat areas like Washington and New York, and a new emergency reserve fund, similar to the FEMA draw down fund, in cases of heightened threat." The Domestic Defense Fund, administered by the Office of Domestic Preparedness within the Department of Homeland Security, would initially provide $7 billion in three categories: · $5 billion in base-level direct funding for first responders -- would provide direct funding to local communities and states across the country to help them cover costs of emergency preparedness. Senator Clinton has been calling for this direct funding for first responders since November 2001, and recently Senator Daschle introduced a leadership bill adopting this idea and using Senator Clinton's homeland security block grant formula. · $1 billion for an emergency reserve fund that can be tapped into by cities and states in times of heightened threat, or in the event of a high-profile terrorist trial, discovery of a terrorist cell, or similar emergency need. FEMA, LIHEAP and Unemployment Insurance have trust fund reserves that can be tapped into in times of emergency. · $1 billion in funding for "high-threat" areas like New York City and Washington, DC. This designation already exists within the Office of Domestic preparedness, but only $100 million is allocated. Shortly after September 11, Senator Clinton began hearing from mayors, police officers, and firefighters around New York that they were having trouble meeting their homeland security needs. Since that time, she has been a champion of direct funding for first responders. She is the author of the Homeland Security Block Grant Act, recently adopted by the Senate Leadership, and in January, she released a report that showing that 70 percent of New York cities and counties had not received any federal homeland security funding.