This is the legislation that provides port security funds for maritime security projects. As I noted recently, those funds have dwindled from a high of $400M a fiscal year to $97M for 2012. One bugaboo that has haunted this portion of homeland security grant programs has been the cash match, 50% for commercial organizations and 25% for governments. Everyone would like to see that requirement go away.
The other major challenge is that for 2012, and it is projected to be the same for future grant years, is the term of performance is being limited to two years. Previously it was five years. Any term beyond two would be helpful for those projects that require construction. There are always design, permitting and environmental hoops to jump through and those take time. Not to mention the fact that from the time the grant awards are announced to when you have a contract from FEMA can be six to nine months.
Given the "frozen" nature of congressional politics I don't imagine this will go very far in achieving the passage of a bill out of both houses of congress, but getting the bill marked up in the senate would be a good start. Senator Patty Murray, (WA) has been a huge supporter of port security since its inception and her leadership will be critical to the passage of any legislation.
