THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OFFICE OF UNITED STATES SENATOR ROBERT BYRD.

Washington, D.C…. U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd today announced that West Virginia is set to receive more than $750,000 in Homeland Security grant funding. Byrd, who is Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and that panel’s Homeland Security Subcommittee, fought to ensure that federal dollars would be available to states through fiscal years 2006 and 2008 appropriations despite the President’s dismal budget request for these programs.

West Virginia will receive $500,000 from the fiscal years 2006 and 2008 REAL ID Demonstration Grant Program to help the state fund this Federal mandate. The REAL ID program was designed to standardize driver licenses and to protect against fraud and identity theft. Grant funds will help State Driver License Issuance Authorities enhance the integrity of driver licenses and identification cards, issuance capabilities, as well as system security.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), it will cost states $3.9 billion the implement the REAL ID Act.

“While the President’s budgets for fiscal years 2006 and 2008 did not include a dime to help the states with this Federal mandate, I fought to ensure that states would have additional support for this program,” Byrd said.

West Virginia will also receive nearly $260,000 to implement the Interoperable Emergency Communications Grant Program (IECGP). The goal of IECGP is to improve interoperable emergency communications, including communications in collective response to natural disasters, terrorist attack, and other man-made disasters. Grant funding will help with the implementation of Statewide Communication Interoperability Plans (SCIP) and align to the National Emergency Communications Plan (NECP) to further enhance interoperability.

“All Americans, whether they live in rural communities or big cities, want to know that, if there is a terrorist attack or emergency of any nature close to home, their first responders will be able to take control of the situation and come to the aid of victims. The reliability of their communications equipment can be a matter of life and death,” Byrd said. “This funding will help improve interoperability among first responders’ communications devices which is an important first step to saving lives in any crisis.”