Texas public officials watch Washington funding debates with interest
by Mary Scott Nabers
CEO of Strategic Partnerships, Inc.
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A Senate committee has approved the Senate’s 2011 Homeland Security, Agriculture and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs Appropriations Bill. It carries a $43.8 billion price tag with $7.3 billion allocated for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The agency would then send $4.2 billion to states for state and local homeland security grants.
The grants funding in this bill includes:
- $950 million for Urban Area Security Grants to promote emergency preparedness;
- $950 million for State Homeland Security Grants;
- $350 million for rail, transit and bus security;
- $350 million for port security;
- $390 million for grants that help fire departments purchase equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles and training; and
- $60 million for Operation Stonegarden, which helps law enforcement agencies secure the borders.
In the House, a subcommittee approved the Transportation-Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill that includes $67.4 billion in funding. It includes:
- $41.1 billion for highway construction;
- $8.3 billion for transit projects;
- $3.5 billion for airport improvements; and
- $1.56 billion for Amtrak.
The subcommittee also approved the Military Construction -Veterans Affairs (VA) bill that totals $191.7 billion, including $18.7 billion for military construction, family housing and activities related to Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) activities and $190 million to speed up the Army’s program to replace training barracks. Part of the VA spending includes $5.7 billion in 2011 for maintenance needs at VA facilities.
Other appropriations bills under consideration include millions for local Community Service Block Grants and for public school investments in innovations and technology. So, although revenues may be tight for state and local entities, their budgets will soon be bolstered by billions coming into the state from the federal government. Federal lawmakers are working hard to complete budget bills before Sept. 30, the end of the federal government's fiscal year. State and local government officials are monitoring their progress with hopes of shoring up their own budgets with federal dollars.
