President George W. Bush announced at an economic forum in mid-August that he will block $5.1 billion that Congress had approved for homeland security, including $150 million for this year's Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. The extra funds would have brought the total amount of funding to $510 million for FY 2002.

Bush signed a $28.9 billion emergency supplemental spending measure on Aug. 2 but did not commit to spending the $5.1 billion portion. He had one month to decide whether to spend all or none of the $5.1 billion.

“A lot of that money has nothing to do with national emergency,” Bush said. “I understand their position and today they're going to learn mine — we'll spend none of it.”

He said he would ask Congress to resubmit separate funds for priorities, such as $200 million for AIDS prevention and $250 to be divided between security aid for Israel and disaster assistance for Palestinians.

Other administration officials said Bush was blocking the money as a signal to Congress to rein in spending. Also, they said, the government financed an array of anti-terror projects with a $40 billion package in October.

Other items denied money under Bush's decision include:

• $90 million for long-term health monitoring of emergency workers at Ground Zero;
• $100 million to improve the communications systems of firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel nationwide;
• $54 million for the national Urban Search and Rescue System;
• $39 million to improve and increase inspections of cargo containers entering the United States;
• $82 million to enhance the FBI's counterterrorism technology;
• $165 million to strengthen security around food and water supplies;
• $480 million for airport security;
• $50 million for flood prevention;
• $400 million for election reform;
• $98 million for emergency highway repairs in 18 states; and
• $275 million for veterans' medical care.