To provide State and local governments with flexibility in using funds made available for homeland security activities.

April 11, 2003

Ms. SNOWE introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works

To provide State and local governments with flexibility in using funds made available for homeland security activities.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. GRANTS BY THE OFFICE OF DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS.

Section 430 of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (6 U.S.C. 238) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(e) STATE AND LAND SECURITY GRANTS-

`(1) SET ASIDE- Not to exceed 20 percent of the amount of any grant by the Office of Department Preparedness to a State or local government for the purchase of equipment for homeland security or counterterrorism activities may be used for preparedness activities, including planning, training, and exercises.

`(2) USE OF GRANTS- A grant described in paragraph (1) may be used to reimburse responder agencies for equipment and personnel costs incurred during preparedness activities described in paragraph (1).'.

SEC. 2. FEMA GRANTS FOR STATE AND LOCAL HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES.

Section 201 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5131) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(e) GRANTS FOR STATE AND LOCAL HOMELAND SECURITY ACTIVITIES-

`(1) IN GENERAL- A State may use grants made available under this Act for a specific homeland security activity to carry out another homeland security activity, if the alternative use is--

`(A) consistent with the State plan of the State submitted under subsection (c); and

`(B) approved by the President.

`(2) USE FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS- For the purpose of meeting any requirement that a State provide grant funds to local governments from a grant made available under this Act for homeland security activities, any grant funds that are expended by the State to carry out homeland security activities on behalf of local governments shall be considered to be provided to local governments.'.

END