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The Homeland Security Department on Friday awarded nearly $400 million in grants to 10 states to help improve the emergency response capabilities of firefighters, police, emergency medical personnel and state and local governments. The department has been under increasing pressure from Congress to more quickly move appropriated funds to state and local jurisdictions where the money is needed to shore up gaps in security.

Since March 1, the department has released more than $4.4 billion in grants to state and local governments and private sector organizations to enhance terrorism preparedness. Grants have been made to fund equipment, training, planning and preparedness exercises for first responders; to enhance the physical security of critical infrastructure and urban mass-transit systems; to offset the costs of security during heightened threat periods; and to help states and cities develop regional responses to potential terrorist attacks.

The most recent grants were awarded to Texas ($78,238,000), Florida ($62,655,000), Illinois ($50,005,000), Washington ($29,971,000), Wisconsin ($27,985,000), Minnesota ($26,690,000), Louisiana ($25,037,000), Arkansas ($19,585,000), New Mexico ($16,956,000) and Maine ($15,232,000).

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