6 U.S.C. § 604 — Urban Area Security Initiative

(a) Establishment.—The Urban Area Security Initiative is established to provide grants that help high-risk urban areas prevent, prepare for, protect against, and respond to terrorism. (b) Assessment and designation of high-risk urban areas.—(1) In general.—The Administrator^* must designate high-risk urban areas that may receive grants under procedures in this subsection. (2) Initial assessment.—(A) For each fiscal year, the Administrator must initially assess the relative terrorism threat, vulnerability, and consequences faced by each eligible metropolitan area^*. The assessment must consider: (i) the factors in section 608(a)(1)(A) through (H) and (K); and (ii) information and materials submitted under subparagraph (B). (B) Before each assessment, the Administrator must give each eligible metropolitan area notice of, and an opportunity to: (i) submit information the area believes is relevant to determining its terrorism threat, vulnerability, and consequences; and (ii) review the Department's risk assessment of the area, including the bases for the Department's assessment, and correct erroneous or incomplete information. (3) Designation.—(A)(i) For each fiscal year, after the initial assessment, the Administrator must designate high-risk urban areas that may apply for grants. (ii) Despite paragraph (2), the Administrator may: (I) designate more than one high-risk urban area^* within one eligible metropolitan area when that area has more than one metropolitan division, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget; and (II) designate an area that is not an eligible metropolitan area as high risk based on the Administrator's assessment of its relative terrorism threat, vulnerability, and consequences. (iii) This subsection does not require the Administrator to: (I) designate every eligible metropolitan area that submits information under paragraph (2)(B)(i); or (II) include every area within an eligible metropolitan area in the high-risk urban area. (B)(i) When designating high-risk urban areas, the Administrator must decide which jurisdictions must at least be included in each one. (ii) A designated high-risk urban area may, after consulting the State^* or States where it is located, add jurisdictions. (c) Application.—(1) A designated high-risk urban area may apply for a grant. (2) The application must include: (A) a plan describing how local and tribal governments in the area will divide responsibilities and distribute funding; (B) the name of a person who will act as liaison with the Department^* and among the area's jurisdictions; and (C) information the Administrator reasonably requires to support the application. (3) Applicants must apply or reapply every year. (4)(A) To ensure consistency with State homeland^*-security plans, the area must send its application to every State containing any part of the area for review before sending it to the Department. (B) Within 30 days after receiving the application, each State must send it to the Department. (C) If a Governor decides the application conflicts with the State homeland-security plan or otherwise does not support it, the Governor must: (i) notify the Administrator in writing; and (ii) explain why when sending the application. (5) Before making final awards, the Administrator must give applicants a reasonable chance to correct application defects, if any. (d) Distribution of awards.—(1) If the Administrator approves an area's application, the Administrator must distribute the grant money to the State or States where the area is located. (2)(A) Within 45 days after receiving the money, each State must give the awarded area at least 80 percent of it. Money the State keeps must be spent on items, services, or activities benefiting the area. (B) The State must give each relevant area an accounting of the items, services, or activities paid for with money it kept. (3) If the awarded area lies in two or more States, the Administrator must give each State: (A) the portion proposed in the application; or (B) if the States have not agreed, the portion the Administrator decides is appropriate. (4) A State receiving grant money must certify to the Administrator that it made the required money available to the applicable area. (e) Authorization of appropriations.—The following amounts are authorized to be appropriated for grants: (1) $850,000,000 for fiscal year 2008; (2) $950,000,000 for fiscal year 2009; (3) $1,050,000,000 for fiscal year 2010; (4) $1,150,000,000 for fiscal year 2011; (5) $1,300,000,000 for fiscal year 2012; and (6) whatever sums are necessary for fiscal year 2013 and each later fiscal year.