Congressman Sander Levin

Homeland Security

In these times of heightened security and economic recession, it is essential that our first responders receive the resources they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

The 111th Congress and the Obama Administration are taking steps to ensure our borders are secure and our emergency responders have up-to-date technology and training. We passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act this February, giving approximately $3 billion to homeland security agencies and $4 billion to state and local law enforcement. This financial commitment provided much-needed resources to all aspects of our emergency and security programs.

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Local Law Enforcement and First Responders

We must be diligent in ensuring all of our law enforcement agencies have the latest technology equipment and resources they need. Spending on law enforcement in Michigan has been cut by nine percent since 2002, resulting in almost 2,000 fewer cops in Michigan today compared to earlier this decade.

While most of this funding is local, in the 111th Congress, we begun to take significant steps to strengthen the federal commitment to public safety. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, signed in February, provides $4 billion to state and local law enforcement to hire new officers, acquire up-to-date crime fighting technology, combat violence against women, and fight internet crimes against children.

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Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) fully took effect June 1, 2009. The law now requires anyone entering or exiting the United States to present a passport, or a document that contains one’s citizenship and photo identification, when traveling between the United States and Canada or Mexico.

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(Updated June 18, 2009)