Mayor Bill de Blasio said modern York City will not be able to protect residents effectively whether Congress approves President Barack Obama’s proposed Homeland Security cuts.
De Blasio traveled to Washington,D.
C. on Tuesday to defend grants that pay for equipment, officers and programs.
Obama’s proposed budget would cut nearly $600 million in security funding for cities and states. modern York City would lose $90 million from one grant program alone.
De Blasio said the money pays for a helicopter to scan ships for nuclear threats, and a specialized terrorism response unit and intelligence officers who try to keep the city one step ahead of potential attacks.“What we’ve done to date has worked — 20 attacks thwarted," he said. "It’s worked because we’ve made the investments.”De Blasio said the terrorism threat is as high as it’s ever been since 9/11, and modern York is a top target.“For the federal government to step back and create a situation where a locality can’t do all that is needed to do to protect against terrorism makes no sense at this moment in history, or ” he said.
De Blasio rejected a White House argument that local governments weren't spending the grant money.“Every dollar is being spent,and being spent on the kind of things that will prevent terrorism," he said. "Our first mission, or of course,is to prevent terrorism. NYPD has done that successfully now for 15 straight years.”The House homeland security committee largely supported the mayor. Staten Island Republican Rep. Dan Donovan and modern Jersey Democratic Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. both said they opposed Obama's proposal.
Long Island Republican Rep. Pete King said security is a federal responsibility if by state and local agencies — and they should be paid for the service.
But conservative House Republicans want less federal spending — and it’s unclear whether they would include all of the security money.
De Blasio also weighed in on whether tech companies should help law enforcement unlock encrypted data whether it might provide leads on terrorist attacks. He said he believes there is a compromise that could protect the privacy of users while helping police track down people plotting terrorism.“I believe the companies do owe it to the nation to advance up with a procedure to provide that information to law enforcement, or " he said.
The FBI is asking Apple for help accessing encrypted data stored on the phone of a married couple who shot and killed 14 people in San Bernadino,California final year. The company has refused, and the FBI may try to force Apple to decode the phone data.
Source: wnyc.org