WASHINGTON D.C. – U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) joined his colleagues in a bipartisan letter to push for strong community safety funding in any FY19 appropriations package. Specifically, the Senators have called for adequate allocations to the DHS Nonprofit Security Grant program which helps nonprofit organizations like religious institutions, schools, and community centers make security improvements. The Senators penned the letter as the United States continues to grieve the deadliest attack on the American Jewish community in our nation’s history.

“We regret that nonprofit organizations – especially religious institutions, schools, and community centers – have become targets for violent attacks and believe we have a responsibility to address the motivating factors behind these threats,” wrote the Senators. “But as long as the threat remains, we must take steps to ensure these facilities have the necessary resources to improve their security if they wish to do so. While we recognize much more remains to be done beyond investing in security, we urge your strong support for robust funding of the Nonprofit Security Grant program in the FY19 appropriations cycle and stand ready to work with you on this issue.”

U.S. Senators Bob Casey (D-Penn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Gary C. Peters (D-Mich,), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.) joined Senator King in this effort.                                                                                  

A full copy of the letter can be found here and more on the DHS Nonprofit Security Grant program is available here.