With terms like interoperability, collaboration, and standardization saturating the pages of guidance documents across the funding landscape, there is often an associated focus on supporting initiatives that, for lack of a better term, make sense. For many communities across the county, rural and urban alike, utilizing video conferencing to support various public safety-related needs will fit that broad requirement.

By Vince Siragusa
May 2011

As an indication that federal lawmakers are increasingly committed to deficit reduction and reining in spending, the recent congressional compromise trims $38.5 billion over the remainder of federal fiscal year 2011. Inevitably, those asked to do more with less will continue to be called upon to follow up on this daunting assignment. While thrifty public and private organizations have long ago trimmed the proverbial fat from their operational costs, many homeland security grant programs, no longer exempt from the broader discretionary spending freezes, will now be required to meet the same task. Let us take some look at what we can expect in Department of Homeland Security spending in 2011.