Distributes Funds Based on Risk, Not Population

(Washington, D.C.) – The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today applauded action taken by Congress to cut misdirected and wasteful Homeland Security spending.  The measures, which are currently being worked out in conference committee, will work to focus taxpayer’s money where it can most help victims of terrorist attacks.

“Today we have a situation where first-responder Homeland Security money is being squandered and misappropriated,” CAGW President Tom Schatz said.  “We need to both cut the fat and send the money where there is actual threat of attack, not where Congress needs extra votes next term.”

Under current legislation, first-responder Homeland Security grants are divided up mostly based on a minimum standard given to every state, not based on risk of terrorist attack.  This means that large, populous states with many attractive terrorist targets get far less money per person to bolster first-responder services than do America’s least populated, low-terrorist risk states.  Under the old system, a populous and target-rich state such as California received only $5.03 per capita in grants when the nation’s least populous and lesser-risk states received much more; in Wyoming’s case it was $37.94 per capita.  US territories also got in on the action.  Puerto Rico was awarded $32 million in domestic-preparedness grants, a number higher than 23 states; while a collection of territories including the U.S Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands received a total of $22 million.

“It is indefensible that some in Congress would sacrifice those living in high risk of terrorist attack in our urban and industrial centers simply to get any money possible to their constituents, even when their constituents would rather donate their grant money to their local National Guard currently in Iraq,” Schatz continued.  “Congress must learn that loading up important Homeland Security appropriations with waste and pork at the expense of the nation’s security is never acceptable.”

The wasteful spending included in the Homeland Security budget reads like the typical laundry list of pork and misappropriation.  The Steamship Authority received $900,000, which runs ferries to Martha’s Vineyard.  A Vermont city of 18,000 received $58,000 for a search-and-rescue vehicle capable of tunneling through concrete; while La Crosse, Wisconsin, population 51,000, received an $180,000 tactical urban combat truck with armor superior to the U.S. military’s Humvees used in Iraq.  Best of all is the $325,000 annual cost of training veterinarians to chase horses with broken legs and llamas who have fallen into holes. 

“Congress’ new measures enjoy bipartisan support,” Schatz concluded.  “This is an important step to create a more effective and efficient Department of Homeland Security that saves taxpayers from unnecessary spending and keeps America safe at the same time.”

Citizens Against Government Waste is the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminated waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in the government.

The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste is the lobbying arm of Citizens Against Government Waste, the nation’s largest nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating waste, fraud, abuse, and mismanagement in government.