Congresswoman Dina Titus (NV-01) today led Nevada’s Congressional Democratic Delegation in urging U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to administer FEMA’s Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grants which have been delayed under the Trump Administration.

“We are writing to urge the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to immediately publish a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant program, as required under current law,” Rep. Titus and the Delegation said in a letter.  

Through the UASI program, FEMA provides communities critical assistance to help them prevent, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other disasters. In Southern Nevada, UASI grants were used to purchase equipment deployed by fire and EMS personnel during the Harvest Festival mass shooting in Las Vegas on October 1, 2017.  

“Given the track record of these grants keeping our constituents safe, we are deeply concerned that the Department of Homeland Security has missed the statutory deadline to publish a NOFO for UASI, the first step in administering these grants,” the letter reads. “The safety and security of our communities are on the line.” 

Rep. Titus added “With all the high volume of events in my district, like the F1 Race, the Super Bowl, and various concerts, UASI funds can help our first responders be ready to meet any threats to these gatherings of people.” 

Background 

Section 303 of Division C of Public Law 118-47 requires FEMA to make applications for Federal Assistance grants, including UASI, available to eligible applicants no later than 60 days after the enactment of the law. According to that timeline, the grants should have been made available by May 16, 2025. Nevertheless, FEMA has yet to issue a notice of funding opportunity to make these grants available to the communities who rely on them.