Lowey, Serrano, de Blasio, Maloney, Meng, NYC Congressional Delegation Announce $68 Million in Federal Funds to Reimburse Local Law Enforcement Agencies
Delegation Secured Funding to Defray Manpower Costs Incurred Protecting President, President-Elect, First Family As President Returns to NYC for First Time Since Taking Office
New York Spends More Than $127,000 Per Day to Protect First Family when President Trump Is Not In Town, $308,000 When President Is In NYC
New York, NY – Congresswoman Nita M. Lowey, Ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee; New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio; Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney; Congresswoman Grace Meng, and other members of the New York City Congressional Delegation hosted a press conference in the Blue Room of New York City Hall to announce $68 million in federal funds to reimburse local law enforcement agencies and New York taxpayers for costs incurred protecting the President, then-President-Elect Trump, and the First Family.
“This is a clear win for New York taxpayers,” said Congresswoman Lowey. “Hardworking New Yorkers shouldn’t get stuck with the bill for the federal responsibility of protecting the President and First Family. These federal funds will help reimburse the costs of the New York Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies that are securing the President even as they maintain extraordinary efforts to protect the millions who live in and commute to the City each day.”
"This is an important victory for fairness. New York City should not be forced to bear the unprecedented costs of protecting the President and his family,” said Congressman Serrano. “As a longtime Member of the Appropriations Committee from New York City and the Ranking Democrat on the CJS Subcommittee, where some of this money is appropriated, I thank Full Committee Ranking Member, Nita Lowey, for her hard work and colleagues on the other side of the aisle for helping New York City address these unique circumstances."
"We are getting what we are owed," said Mayor de Blasio. "That's good news for our city and the hardworking police officers faced with this unprecedented security challenge. We could not have done this without our congressional delegation, including Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, and U.S. Representatives Nita Lowey, Grace Meng, Jose Serrano, Dan Donovan, Carolyn Maloney and Jerry Nadler. They worked tirelessly over the past several months to make sure these costs are paid for by the federal government."
“It is ridiculous to expect local law enforcement, like the NYPD and FDNY, to bear the extraordinary and ongoing costs of protecting the President of the United States,” said Congresswoman Maloney. “Reimbursing New York City taxpayers for the money spent to protect then-President elect Trump and his family and ensuring that future costs will be covered as the NYPD and FDNY continue to protect Trump Tower is the right and fair thing to do. Protecting the President is clearly a national security concern and paying for it should be federal responsibility. This spending agreement ensures the federal government meets this responsibility and I’m very pleased we were able to secure this funding."
“Earlier this year, I called on the federal government to reimburse New York for the cost of providing security around Trump Tower, and I am extremely pleased that our City will be receiving these vital funds,” said Congresswoman Meng. “As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I was proud to fight for this money, and I am honored to have helped secure it. The costs of protecting the President and First Family should be paid for by the federal government. It should not be on the back of New York taxpayers nor should it further strain our needed police resources.”
The city spent $24 million protecting Trump Tower and the First Family from Election Day through Inauguration Day. It is estimated that the city spends, on average, $127,000 to $146,000 a day for the NYPD to protect the First Family when President Trump is not in town. It is anticipated those costs will be $308,000 per day when the President is in New York City, as he was yesterday for the first time since Inauguration.
Of the $68 million, $20 million is dedicated to reimbursing local law enforcement agencies for costs incurred protecting the President-elect from the time of the 2016 election through Inauguration Day. This funding will be awarded through the Byrne-JAG program at the U.S. Department of Justice. The remainder - $41 million - will be provided through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Local law enforcement agencies that incurred such costs after President Trump’s inauguration may submit claims for reimbursement of manpower costs.
When added to $7 million secured in the FY2017 Continuing Resolution enacted in December, this brings total funding to $68 million to help defray manpower costs expended helping the U.S. Secret Service in fulfillment of the federal responsibility of protecting the President-elect, and after inauguration, the President.
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