Rep. Cleaver Announces $1.6 Million Grant to Strengthen Kansas City’s Preparedness, Combat Threats of Terrorism
(Kansas City, MO) – Today, U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) announced that the City of Kansas City has been awarded $1,645,333 in federal grant funding from the Department of Homeland Security’s Urban Area Security Initiative program. The grant funding will be utilized to address the unique planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs of Kansas City, and to assist the city in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, prepare for, and respond to acts of terrorism.
“As the Representative of Missouri’s Fifth District, my highest priority is the safety and security of the residents within my congressional district, and I’m thrilled to announce that $1.6 million is coming to Kansas City to strengthen preparedness and increase protections for our communities against any potential threat of terrorism,” said Congressman Cleaver. “After years of pushing to have Kansas City included in the Urban Area Security Initiative program, I’m pleased Kansas City will once again receive these additional resources to train, equip, and prepare local law enforcement to keep Kansas Citians safe.”
Additionally, the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) and the KC Streetcar were made eligible to apply for Transit Security Grant Program funding, which provides $93 million to the nation’s public transportation agencies serving regions designated for the Urban Area Security Initiative program for enhancement of security measures at essential transit infrastructure. Funding recipients selected for the Transit Security Grant Program will be announced later this year.
The state of Missouri will also receive an additional $4,847,500 from the State Homeland Security Program to support the implementation of statewide security strategies, as well as $2,550,000 from the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to strengthen target hardening and other physical security enhancements to nonprofit organizations that are at a higher risk of a terrorist or other extremist attack.
“As Kansas City continues to grow and develop into the economic heart of the heartland, it’s important that we ensure our constituents, communities, and critical infrastructure have protections in place to thwart any threat,” said Congressman Cleaver. “With $1.6 million in security funding for Kansas City, as well as more than $7 million for Missouri as a whole, we are taking another important step toward bolstering public safety throughout the region, and I’m thankful to the Biden administration for making it possible.”
Additional information on the Department of Homeland Security’s preparedness grant programs and the funding for Kansas City and Missouri is available here.
Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance.