Press Releases

WASHINGTON – U.S. Representatives Kathleen Rice (NY-04) and Ted Lieu (CA-33) urged an increase in funding for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Non-Profit Security Grant Program (NSGP) in a letter to House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security Chairwoman Lucille Roybal-Allard and Ranking Member Chuck Flesichmann.  

The NSGP supports target hardening and physical security enhancements at non-profit organizations that are at a higher risk of a terrorist attack. Last year, Rice helped secure $1.3 million for fourteen Jewish and other faith-based organizations in NY-04 through the program.  

In their letter to Chairwoman Roybal-Allard and Ranking Member Flesichmann, Rice and Lieu specifically request $200 million for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) NSGP and $200 million for the State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) NSGP. 

Full text of the letter can be found here and below: 

Dear Chairwoman Roybal-Allard and Ranking Member Flesichmann,  

Thank you for your leadership. In light of the recent spike in antisemitism across the country, we write to urge an increase in funding of the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP) in the Fiscal Year 2022 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill. Specifically, we respectfully request $200 million for the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) NSGP and $200 million for the State Homeland Security grant (SHSGP) NSGP. 

Last month, the U.S. witnessed a “dangerous and drastic surge” in anti-Jewish hate, according to the Anti-Defamation League—a finding that was consistent with news reports of incidents across the country. In our states of California and New York, numerous antisemitic hate crimes were documented in which Jewish Americans were physically attacked. This spike follows the FBI’s November 2020 annual hate crimes report showing a 14 percent increase in hate crimes against Jews over the previous year. More broadly, the report showed that the increases in hate crimes overall “were far more precipitous among the most violent offenses – homicides and assaults; those directed toward certain target groups, like Jews and Latinos; and in some of the nation's largest cities," according to the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism.  

In his recent testimonies before the House Homeland Security Committee and House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testified that domestic violent extremism is the number one terrorist threat to the U.S. today, that houses of worship are “regrettably” among their targets, and that hardening of their facilities is a best practice to safeguard them. These assessments have been echoed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National Counterterrorism Center.  

As you know, the NSGP provides critical funding to nonprofit organizations for security investments, including physical security hardening and training. This program recognizes the unfortunate reality that faith-based and community-based organizations have become targets for domestic violent extremism.  

Like you, we have heard from Jewish and Interfaith organizations across the country that the current funding levels for the NSGP are insufficient to meet the security needs of our vulnerable houses of worship and other nonprofit organizations.  

It is incumbent on Congress to act swiftly. As the House Appropriations Committee begins the markup process for the FY 2022 funding legislation, we urge you to consider an increase in funding for the NSGP that meets the demands of this moment. We respectfully request funding levels of $200 million for the UASI NSGP and $200 million for the SHSGP NSGP. Additionally, we encourage the Committee to ensure that the Department provides grant recipients with the requisite spending flexibility to meet their unique security needs.  

Thank you for attention to this important matter. 

Sincerely, 

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