Stimulus bill has $250m for fusion centers

An economic stimulus package that the Senate is set to consider would provide $250 million for state and locally-run information sharing and coordination centers that are part of anti-terrorism efforts. 

The Senate's $888 billion measure would include $250 million to modify existing state and local emergency operations centers and intelligence fusion centers or to build new ones. The $819 billion economic stimulus bill The House passed Jan. 28 did not authorize the same funding.  

The fusion centers and emergency operations centers use technology and information technology to improve information sharing, situational awareness and coordination, and the Bush administration made fusion centers central to efforts to share terrorism-related information between federal and non-federal authorities. 

The centers are owned and operated by states and local governments, and many of the more than 50 centers rely heavily on Homeland Security Department grants administered by DHS’ Federal Emergency Management Agency.