Sen. McCaskill highlights local impact of proposed counterterrorism program cuts

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DoD), and the FBI testified before a Senate panel on Friday about evolving international terrorist threats and the impact of $582.8 million in proposed cuts to counterterrorism programs.

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO), the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, voiced concerns about how the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to counterterrorism programs would impact St. Louis and Kansas City during Friday’s hearing.

“Preventing radicalization, as well as preventing and responding to attacks, demands training, support, and other resources for state and local governments, law enforcement, and first responders,” McCaskill said. “I am deeply concerned that many essential counterterrorism programs that provide that support were reduced or outright eliminated in the president’s fiscal year 2018 budget.”

Counterterrorism that is operated by the DHS and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to help state and local governments mitigate terrorist threats would be cut under the administration’s proposed budget. Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response (VIPR) teams, which TSA administers to sweep and monitor transportation hubs, would be among the cuts.

McCaskill also noted that DHS counterterrorism programs that provide funding to the Kansas City Transportation Authority and the St. Louis Lambert International Airport would also be affected by the proposed cuts.

“In July, DHS announced awards through the Complex Coordinated Terrorist Attacks Grant Program; Kansas City and St. Louis were both awarded money,” McCaskill said. “I am very familiar with how these resources are being used, and they are being used wisely and appropriately. Programs like this are essential to bolstering security in our cities. But the president’s budget proposed eliminating this grant program, as well.”